A touring exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art is to be taken to Asia by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) in 2020.
The exhibition, Indigenous Australian Masterpieces, is part of a six-year, $4 million partnership with the NGA’s longstanding Indigenous Arts partner, Wesfarmer Arts.
It will be co-curated between the organisations and respective collections, and will travel to Singapore and cities in China.
In a statement the NGA said the exhibition would include rare works from the 1800s through to Albert Namatjira’s renowned watercolours, the dynamic Papunya movement, and contemporary works of Australia’s best artists.
“The project will be an Indigenous-led and developed initiative, providing an opportunity for alumni of the Wesfarmers Arts Indigenous Arts Leadership Program to work on the international stage,” the Gallery said.
“The partnership will also involve the commissioning of a major new work of art that will be gifted to the NGA.”
It said that other developments relating to Indigenous art include a new digital platform that celebrates and promotes Indigenous art and culture; video content to grow audiences and share stories related to the partnership presentation of the National Indigenous Art Triennial; and a year-round of Indigenous events and programming that seek to educate and inspire audiences and build Indigenous community engagement with the NGA.
The NGA will also grow and strengthen its leadership, scholarship and fellowship programs to increase Indigenous participation in the arts sector in Australia and internationally in collaboration with global museum partners.
