Vibrant colours and powerful stories now fill the walls of WA Museum Boola Bardip’s special exhibition space, following the launch of Spinifex People: Art and stories from Pila Nguru.
Opening 5 December, the exhibition features a stunning array of artworks, objects, digital projections and film. Visitors will experience the Spinifex People’s enduring connection to Country and their ancestral lands through breathtaking art that embodies the power of the landscape and the stories of their Ancestors.
Spinifex artists travelled from their remote homeland to share their story with audiences during the official launch event, marking the first time they have seen their work and history curated on such an extraordinary scale. The exhibition being the largest single display of Spinifex Art Project works ever shown.
For thousands of years, the Spinifex People lived in a land that few outsiders saw and even today, few would know about. In the first decades of the 20th century, developments around the fringes of Spinifex Country brought the outside world closer in a dramatic way. From the mid-1950s, British atomic bomb testing at Maralinga led to the removal of almost all the Spinifex People from their homelands.
Now, visitors can view poignant pieces of artwork, including those which represent their displacement during the testing, and the pivotal works that contributed to the community's successful Native Title Determination in 2000.
Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman expressed, “Through this exhibition, I have developed a deep understanding of the customs, traditions and laws of the Spinifex People, but more importantly, their enduring connection to the land from which they come.
I was particularly impressed by the way the Spinifex Art Project has evolved to encompass film and digital art, engaging the next generation of artists in the ancient art of storytelling in a way that will ensure their history endures for years to come.”
Alongside the incredible artworks, the exhibition offers a range of public programs to help visitors connect with the Spinifex story:
- Guided Tours
Thursdays and Sundays, 3pm-4pm, starting Sunday 8 December
Join us for an insightful tour exploring the history, culture and connection to Country revealed through the Spinifex People’s art. Bookings are essential, and cost is included with General Admission.
- The Spinifex Story
Thursday 5 December, 6pm-8.30pm
Hear from Ross Chadwick and John Carty, alongside visiting Spinifex artists, in an evening exploring the Spinifex People’s journey of displacement, homecoming, and reconnection. Learn how art has supported the community in reclaiming identity and maintaining cultural ties to Country. Then, explore the exhibition, grab a drink from our pop-up bar and be moved by the enchanting voice of Kira Feeney. Bookings required.
- Quiet Mornings
Wednesday 8 January and Saturday 22 March, 8.30am-11am
Experience the exhibition in a sensory-friendly environment, with reduced sound and lighting, interactive elements turned down and a designated quiet area for breaks. All ages welcome, registration required.
- Meet the Museum: Digital Art and the Desert
Thursday 20 February, 5pm-6pm
Learn how remote communities creatively share their stories with Project Officer Ange Leech. Ange will discuss her work with the Milpa Collective, an initiative of the Spinifex Arts Project, and her time at Tjuntjunjara Remote Community School. During this time, she worked alongside the community to produce a Pitjantjatjara children’s book and helped bring their stories to life through stop-motion animation. Bookings required.
Learn more about Spinifex People: Art and stories from Pila Nguru on our website here: https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/boolabardip/spinifex-people-art-and-stories-pila-nguru
