Hitting the Indigenous art trail is one of the most rewarding things to do on any trip to Darwin.
Almost 4,000km north of Canberra’s galleries and Melbourne’s laneways is one of Australia’s most exciting art destinations. Darwin is home to a stirring creative scene, and visitors to the Top End capital will find an abundance of galleries dedicated to showcasing Indigenous art, from cosy relaxed spaces where you can hang out and have a chat, to refined museums.
“The art scene in Darwin is so vibrant and it’s very varied,” says contemporary Aboriginal artist Sarrita King, a Gurindji painter who grew up in and around Darwin and calls the Northern Territory home. “Wherever you are in Darwin there’s always a gallery nearby and if you’re looking for Aboriginal art, everywhere has some really great examples.”
Katy Moir, a designer and installation artist who has lived in the NT for the past five years and will be exhibiting in the Bruce Munro: Tropical Light project this November, says Darwin’s small size is part of what makes the creative scene so great. “It’s a community,” she says. “Being an independent artist is not easy; you’re continually having to advocate for yourself, and having a community behind you is invaluable.”
Katy Moir (left) and Sarrita King.
But while finding your way onto the city’s art trail isn’t hard, a few pointers from Territorian locals never hurt. Here’s the insiders’ guide to getting the most out of Darwin.
See the classics
The obvious first stop on Darwin’s art trail is a visit to the city’s premier gallery. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is home to a permanent collection of Indigenous art that includes everything from desert dot paintings to Tiwi Islands carvings, all set in tranquil (and air conditioned) surrounds.
It also hosts the Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, an annual showcase of the best Indigenous art from around Australia. Works from this year’s awards will be on display until 3 November 2019.
Hit the highway
Just out of town on the Stuart Highway is Provenance Arts, a newer gallery space recommended by both King and Moir. Provenance is owned by the Kunwinjku people of western Arnhem Land and exhibits Indigenous paintings, weavings and craftworks, with a large range of pieces for sale.
Poke around Parap
If you’re in town on a Saturday morning, King recommends a trip to Parap. The suburb’s weekly markets are a local institution but the area is also home to a trio of galleries specialising in Indigenous art: Outstation, Salon Indigenous Art Projects and the Northern Centre for Contemporary Art.
The Parap Village Market is a great place to shop and is a favourite among locals and visitors alike. Photograph: Aude Mayans/Tourism NT
“It’s a small hub but it’s got amazing and varied galleries that are easy to check out while you do your Saturday morning at the markets, so you can get your food fill and your art fill in one,” King says.
Soak up the city
King also points to Harriet Place as another great hub for galleries. She recommends Paul Johnstone Gallery, which sources fine Indigenous and non-Indigenous art, and Mayfair, a smaller space devoted to exhibiting emerging and established artists. “The local scene is represented so well in such a small area,” she says. “It’s nice, you can grab a coffee, just wander around on weekends and see amazing variations.”
Mason Gallery, on nearby Cavanagh Street, is another established Darwin favourite, with a focus on displaying works by artists from the Western Desert, Utopia and other Eastern Desert regions, and Arnhem Land.
Dig deeper
Looking for something a little more laid back? To find Darwin’s under-the-radar art spaces, Moir recommends Aboriginal Bush Traders, a not-for-profit Aboriginal art gallery and retail store, and Salon Indigenous Art Projects, a collaboration between Outstation and Paul Johnstone Gallery that showcases emerging Indigenous artists from the Territory’s community-based art centres.
If you just want to view some art, hang out and get to know the locals, Moir also suggests making a visit to the shopfronts of Don Whyte Framing and Air Raid Arcade.
Visitor looking at Aboriginal painting’s during the Tiwi Island Grand Final and Art Sale.
Indigenous art is a big part of life all across the Territory. With creative and storytelling traditions dating back 40,000 years and these ancient practices changing from region to region, the depth and diversity of Aboriginal art is a vivid reminder of the NT’s rich cultural heritage. Photograph: Peter Eve/Tourism NT
Photograph: Peter Eve/Tourism NT
Catch some exhibitions
If you can’t make it to Darwin before the end of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, there are plenty of other great exhibitions hitting the Top End soon.
Moir suggests Sweat Season on 30 November, a city-wide series of art installations to mark the start of the wet season. Both Moir and King also recommend seeing what’s on at the Darwin Visual Artists, known around town as the DVA, which has a regularly changing roster of monthly exhibitions.
Bruce Munro’s Tropical Light exhibition, featuring eight immersive large-scale light installations through the Darwin CBD and Waterfront precinct, opens on 1 November and runs until 30 April 2020.
Each ‘Tropical Light’ sculpture will inspire interest during the day though hold special significance when illuminated at night. Photograph: Bruce Munro Ltd.
Buy ethically
If you want to take some of Darwin’s Indigenous culture home with you, make sure you do it the right way. Check you’re buying from galleries or sellers that are signatories to the Indigenous Art Code, which ensures artists are paid properly for their work and guarantees authenticity.
The Indigenous Art Code is a system to preserve and promote ethical trading in Indigenous art. Photograph: Nick Pincott/Tourism NT
Outstation Gallery, Salon, Paul Johnstone Gallery and Provenance Arts all work directly with Indigenous artists and are great places to shop for pieces.
Learn the stories
Last but not least, the key to appreciating Indigenous art is taking the time to learn about the story behind each piece, King says.
“It’s one thing to view an artwork and to love it but I think that extra layer of story to it can really bring a work alive,” she says. “I always say that looking into an Aboriginal art gallery is like walking into a book. You’re not only getting a visual; you’re getting this enriched story behind it as well.”
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