// DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2017
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS VISUAL ARTS
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The 2017 Darwin Festival visual arts program showcased the distinct cultural diversity of the Northern Territory, highlighting in particular the incredible output of local and national Indigenous arts practitioners.
about Indigenous arts practice. Exhibitions such as Salon 17 (the NATSIAA’s Salon de Refusés), Open Cut at the Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, Black and White at Outstation Gallery and Into the Water at Tactile Arts gave an insightful overview of contemporary Indigenous arts practice across the region.
Independent galleries and art spaces across Darwin presented an array of free exhibitions throughout the Festival, and two special installations were custom-made for Festival Park: Fiona Currey’s neon Termite Mounds and Studio Elevenlee’s Power and Watercommissioned Every Drop Counts, which made creative use of recycled shower parts.
“We happened to be in Darwin for our first visit in August 2016, when the Festival was in full swing. We loved the Aboriginal Art Fair, and the amazing atmosphere created by being able to reliably have so many outdoor activities at night. So we timed our 2017 visit to coincide with the Festival and thoroughly enjoyed being swept away by the festival spirit in Darwin! Thank you :-)”
2017 saw the presentation of the 34th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) and the biggest Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair yet. Attracting audiences in their thousands, these two major visual arts events placed the Northern Territory at the centre of the national conversation
DARWIN FESTIVAL PATRON 2017
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