Drawn from the State Art Collection, I AM celebrates the depth, diversity and creative strength of Aboriginal art and culture.
Featuring a significant selection of new, recent and rarely seen works from the State Art Collection by Aboriginal artists.
I AM brings together over 60 works by First Nations artists from across Australia and centres on personal and shared stories that elevate Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives on the world and our place in it. I AM reflects the dynamism of Aboriginal art, from deeply rooted traditions to bold contemporary expression.
Select highlights include paintings by Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori and Emily Kam Kngwarray that depict the rhythms of Country; bark paintings by Wandjuk Marika that recount creation stories; a major glass installation by Yhonnie Scarce addressing the history of atomic testing in Australia; and portraits and mental maps by Julie Dowling, Dianne Jones, Gordon Bennett and Dallas Fletcher.
Themes woven into the exhibition include connection to Country, culture, history and lived experience. It features artists from regions across Australia, including the South-West, the Kimberley, Arnhem Land, the Tiwi Islands, and the Western Desert region.
Western Australian artists are strongly represented, including 11 Noongar artists. Linocut prints and etchings by Laurel Nannup, creator of the iconic First Contact sculpture at Elizabeth Quay, will feature in the exhibition alongside new acquisitions by Bella Kelly and Christopher Pease, whose works engage with Noongar Country through distinct themes and visual approaches.
Artworks by WA artists acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the AGWA Foundation’s $1.5 million Stimulus Package, are also included.
I AM runs for 18 months, with two major rotations introducing new works in August 2026 and again in early 2027, ensuring the exhibition continues to evolve and offer fresh perspectives.
Image credits – Tamisha Williams Chilling out Ngurra 2020. Photographic print on cotton rag paper, 80 x 120 cm. The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia. Purchased through The Art Gallery of Western Australia Foundation: COVID-19 Arts Stimulus Package, 2020. © Tamisha Williams, 2020. Photo: Bo Wong.
Christopher Pease Nyoongar Dreaming 1999. Oil on canvas, 114.2 x 147.4 cm. The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia. Purchased 2001. © Christopher Pease, 1999. Photo: Bo Wong.
Sharyn Egan Memorial 2018-2020. Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 50 x 106 cm. The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia. Purchased through The Art Gallery of Western Australia Foundation: COVID-19 Arts Stimulus Package, 2020. © Sharyn Egan, 2020. Photo: Bo Wong.
Dallas Fletcher Constituton 2018. Acrylic on canvas, 90 x 119.5 cm. The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia. Purchased through The Art Gallery of Western Australia Foundation: COVID-19 Arts Stimulus Package, 2020. © Dallas Fletcher, 2018. Photo: Bo Wong.
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