Art, words and photos from Central Australian Aboriginal Art Centres
Winter 2025
THE DESART RADAR
Desart Conference 2025 Strong Business, Strong Culture, Strengthening the Sector.
The Desart membership came together for two days of collaborative workshop discussions focused on strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-owned art and culture sector. The vital role of art centres was highlighted, not only as hubs for art production and sales but as essential pillars supporting cultural preservation, employment, youth and aged care programs, educational initiatives, and broader community wellbeing. The insights gathered will guide Desart’s advocacy and strategic direction. The conference welcomed input from key partner organisations, including ANKA, IACA, and Ku Arts.
Image: Desart members & staff, Peak body representativesand Industry specialists at the Strong Business, Strong Culture, Strengthening the Sector Desart Conference 2025. Photography Devris Hasan.
Papulankutja Artists: From the desert to the city.
Artists Nora Davidson and Paula Lyons travelled to Perth to present a painting demonstration at the Revealed Art Market. Nora painted Minyma Kutjarra (Two Sisters) and Paula painted Kungkarrangkalpa (Seven Sisters), both using acrylic paints. Despite the distance from their Blackstone Ranges home, the artists connected with new audiences, continuing Papulankutja's mission of cultural exchange.
Revealed Exhibition of new and emerging WA Aboriginal artists is presented by AACHWA at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) showing until June 13.
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Image (Left): l-r Paula Lyons and Nora Davidson en route to Revealed. Photography Cal Power.
(Far left): l-r Paula Lyons and Nora Davidson painting demonstration at Revealed. Photography Cal Power.
Tjanpi Desert Weavers light up World Expo in Osaka!
Tjanpi Desert Weavers are lighting up the Australia Pavilion at World Expo 2025 in Osaka! Exhibiting alongside Elcho Island Arts and Bula Bula Arts, and in partnership with Koskela, Tjanpi presents Tili Wiru Tjuta (All the Beautiful Lights) a striking series of woven lampshades by Mimili artists. Made from native grasses and hand-dyed raffia, the works draw inspiration from piti (traditional wooden vessels) and showcase the artists’ bold, experimental weaving techniques. Tjanpi’s participation also includes four stop-motion animations, created by artists using fibre sculptures to bring desert stories to life. These films reflect Tjanpi’s artist-led approach to storytelling, blending the whimsical nature of the fibre art with heartfelt narratives from Aṉangu and Yarnangu Country.
Under the theme Chasing the Sun visitors to the Australia Pavilion will discover the sights, sounds and spirit of Australia through an immersive bushwalk as they follow the sun.
"We are so proud to be part of this celebration and to share the magic of Tjanpi with the world." — Tjanpi Desert Weavers
The World Expo runs to 13 October 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
Image: Tili Wiru Tjuta (All the Beautiful Lights) on show in Osaka, Japan, 2025. © Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Utopia Art Centre's new building is state of the art!
Utopia Art Centre’s beautiful new art space is a bold architectural marvel that fuses cutting-edge design with the flowing lines of Anmatyerr Country and will have an official opening in September.
After years of creating masterpieces in makeshift sheds, artists are now thriving in sun-drenched studios built just for them.
Visitors will be greeted by lush gardens and a purpose-built exhibition gallery, where they can experience iconic works by the renowned artists of Utopia.
Images: Arlparra Story and Bush Plum Story Arrarntenh art screens by Anmatyerr man Motorbike Paddy Ngal. Photography courtesy Utopia Art Centre.
Image: Ned Kelly Jungarrayi in the studio at Arlpwe Art & Culture Centre, Ali Curung, in front of his work, West from Jarra Jarra outstation (where those two Jungarrayis started walking), 2025, 122 x 183 cm, acrylic on linen. Photography by Sara Maiorino, courtesy of Desart.
11 SEPT - 26 OCT 2025
Ernabella
Arts celebrates its rich history while stepping boldly into the future.
Building on the success of their first ever high end homewares line Ernabella Arts launches their second range in collaboration with Kip&Co. Each piece in the collection is a work of art, featuring designs from original paintings by Ernabella artists. Printed locally and now available in major cities, these homewares are more than beautiful objects they are a bridge between Ernabella’s rich cultural traditions and the world of contemporary design.
This bridging of past, present and future is evident in Ernabella Art's newly renovated art centre building, which preserves the original craft room walls (built in 1948) and repurposed timber, creating a vibrant workspace that honours the legacy of those early days into the future.
Image: Malpiya Davey, Kalaya Tjukurpa, Emu Dreaming. Photography Ross Bird.
Ikuntji Artists: Designs take centre stage.
When the Australian Youth Orchestra tours Europe this year, their musicians will wear vibrant performance garments featuring Ikuntji designs. Artists Roseranna Larry and Keturah Zimran OAM met the young musicians in Brisbane, sharing cultural connections. "Our ancestors will follow them to Europe," said Keturah. This collaboration highlights Ikuntji's innovative approach to sharing Luritja stories through fashion. From Paris Fashion Week to Australian Fashion Week, or Country to Couture (DAAF) Ikuntji Artists designs are a stand-out on the fashion calendar.
Image: Foreground left to right: Ikuntji artists Roseranna Larry and Keturah Zimran OAM attended the Australian Youth Orchestra’s first day of rehearsals for the upcoming concerts in Brisbane as musicians were presented with the garments. Photography courtesy Renee Brazel.
Key dates 2025
5–6 July National Indigenous Art Fair
6–13 July National NAIDOC Week
5–6 August National Indigenous Fashion Parade & Awards
7–10 August Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair
8 August Telstra NATSIAA Opening
5–8 September National First Nations Weaving Symposium
11 September Desert Mob Opening
11 Sept–26 Oct Desert Mob Exhibition
12 September Desert Mob Artist Talks (formerly the Symposium)
13 September Desert Mob Marketplace
17 Oct–18 Jan Tarnanthi Exhibition (2015–2025)
26 October Uluru Handback Anniversary (1985–2025)
Reg Harris Lane – Todd Street Mall PO Box 9219 Alice Springs NT 0871 Australia
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SAM PLATFORM
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Scott Denholm
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STRONG BUSINESS
Carmel Young Manager strongbusiness@desart.com.au
Julien Poulson Coordinator sbp@desart.com.au
