Whether it's 60,000-year-old rock art, traditional Aboriginal bark painting or vibrant contemporary works of iconic Aboriginal artists, there is a huge selection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art experiences on offer. Here are our top five art experiences to get you inspired.
Hermannsburg Historic Precinct
The Hermannsburg National Trust Historic Precinct is a series of German-style whitewashed buildings constructed when the Lutheran Mission was originally established in the late 1880's. Beyond the historic significance of the site, the Aboriginal settlement of Hermannsburg is bursting with art.
The precinct was home to iconic Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira, known for his distinctive watercolours depicting the Australian landscape. Recognised as one of Australia’s greatest artists, Namatjira's work is on public display in some of Australia's major art galleries, with a large portion of his collection on display at Hermannsburg.
Above: Hermannsburg Historic Precinct
Hermannsburg Historic Precinct is also the base for Hermannsburg Potters, who are renowned for their unique hand-built terracotta pots. The lids of these stunning works feature colourful sculpted animals, birds and bush and the pots themselves are painted with imagery inspired by the surrounding landscapes.
Tiwi By Design
The Tiwi Islands are located 80 kilometres north of Darwin in the Arafura Sea. Home to the friendly Tiwi people, the islands are known as 'the islands of smiles'.
The Tiwi By Design tour (pictured at top of story) is not only an opportunity to learn about Tiwi culture but also their rich art. The Tiwi people are internationally renowned for their individual style of art including carvings and bright textile designs.
Prized by collectors, many Tiwi artists have exhibited around the world. On this tour you will visit the Tiwi Design art centre and experience an exclusive ‘behind-the-scenes’ screen printing session with Tiwi artists.
Experience this unique opportunity to create your own Tiwi style art piece – either a T-shirt, tea towel or length of fabric – to take home with you as a special memento. also have the opportunity to purchase unique and traditional Tiwi artworks including paintings, fabrics, carving, pottery and clothing at island prices.
Top Didj Cultural Experience and Art Gallery
More than just a cultural experience, Top Didj offers the unique opportunity to learn about traditional bark painting from master artist Manuel Pamkal.
Learn everything from harvesting methods and the intricate Rarrk, to cross hatching styles and the special 'Jalk' reed brush used to paint the designs. Visitors also have the opportunity to paint their own bark painting under Pamkal’s expert guidance.
Above: Top Didj Cultural Experience
Manuel also illuminates the cultural significance of the designs which often reference a particular clan or dreamtime stories.
Five-Day Kakadu, Arnhem Land and Cobourg Peninsula Tour
No Indigenous art experience list would be complete without Kakadu – a living cultural landscape with World Heritage listed rock art sites throughout.
Venture North on this Five-Day Kakadu, Arnhem Land and Cobourg Peninsula Tour, visiting spectacular sites Ubirr and Injalak Hill.
One of the biggest and most popular art sites in Kakadu, Ubirr has three main areas and the main gallery depicts local plants and animals in X-ray style and elements of the Dreaming.
Above: Injalak Hill
Injalak Hill has large and layered rock art dated between 100 and 8,000 years old. The main gallery is an extensive shelter depicting dreaming and contact art from when Aboriginal culture first interacted with Macassan, Chinese and European cultures.
This piece was made in partnership with Welcome to Country, your guide to experiencing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Australia.
