Lineage & Legacy

Central Australia is the epicentre of vibrant and ever-evolving Aboriginal art and culture that emerged in a new form in 1935 when Albert Namatjira commenced painting with watercolours. Namatjira putting brush to paper was the genesis of modern Aboriginal art, a moment in time that would gain enormous momentum and influence artists for generations to come.

Albert Namatjira is central to Lineage & Legacy, an exhibition drawn from the Araluen Collection and various local collections. It celebrates three distinct creative movements; Albert Namatjira and the Hermannsburg School; the Hermannsburg Potters and the Western Desert art movement. These ground-breaking movements have shaped the trajectory of contemporary Aboriginal art in Central Australia and this exhibition celebrates their legacy and the lineage of artists at their core.

This exhibition invites viewers to engage with the rich culture, aesthetic ability and artistic innovation of these multigenerational First Nations’ artists, as revealed through distinct visual languages that confidently assert knowledge and connection to Country, with lineage stretching back through millennia.

Below is a selection of works from Lineage & Legacy - visit the Araluen Arts Centre Galleries in Alice Springs to see the full exhibition. Open daily from 10am - 4pm.