The Exhibition

Presenting contemporary and historical Aboriginal fibre art from western Arnhem Land, this exhibition focuses on the distinctive work of women artists from the Aboriginal community of Gunbalanya (formerly Oenpelli) and surrounding outstations, located in the sandstone escarpment known as ‘stone country’. The women are all speakers of the Kunwinjku language. (Kunmadj Njalehnjaleken means ‘everything about fibre’; kunmadj itself is a generic word for containers and other fibre objects.)

The Aboriginal community of Gunbalanya is situated close to the East Alligator River and Kakadu National Park approximately 300 kilometres east of Darwin. The women make baskets, bags and mats that are quite distinct from other Arnhem Land fibre works. The uniqueness of these artists’ work is observable in relation to both colour and form, as well as in the combination of techniques used. Distinctive patterns on the work are highlighted by the use of colour. The striking hues of purple and pink are derived from a plant that only grows in the stone country.

Baskets made today use both traditional techniques, such as knotting, looping and twining, that are hundreds of years old, as well as variations on those techniques, and the incorporation of more recently introduced ones. Innovation and the incorporation of new ideas and materials has been a constant feature of the creative process.

Download the exhibition notes: Pdf, 106kb

Note that at smaller venues the exhibition may not include work from all artists.

The work of these artists is sold by Injalak Arts and Crafts, which has an arts centre at Gunbalanya.