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| Tarnanthi at the Art Gallery of South Australia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tarnanthi at the Art Gallery of South Australia |
| Location | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Established | 2015 |
| Type | Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art festival |
| Director | Art Gallery of South Australia |
Tarnanthi at the Art Gallery of South Australia is an annual contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art festival held at the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide, showcasing a broad range of visual arts practices from across Australia and the Torres Strait Islands. The program integrates exhibitions, public events, commissions and screenings that connect communities, curators, collectors and institutions, bringing together artists, curators and audiences from regional centres such as Alice Springs, Broome, Karratha and urban hubs including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
Tarnanthi presents painting, sculpture, textile, weaving, installation, new media and performance by artists affiliated with communities such as the Pitjantjatjara, Yolŋu, Arrernte, Tiwi Islands, Palawa and Kukatja, as well as individual makers from townships like Ceduna and Gunbalanya. The festival features works connected to collectors, galleries and institutions including the National Gallery of Australia, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of New South Wales and international partners such as the British Museum, Tate Modern and Guggenheim Museum. Major components include curated exhibitions, artist commissions, touring shows, talks with curators from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and collaborations with organisations like the Australia Council for the Arts and Carclew.
Launched by the Art Gallery of South Australia in 2015, Tarnanthi grew from longstanding exhibitions of Aboriginal art in Adelaide such as those at the JamFactory and earlier collections initiatives tied to the South Australian Museum and community-run art centres in places like Papunya and Hermannsburg (Ntaria). The festival’s name derives from the Pitjantjatjara language and reflects the involvement of elders, arts workers and institutions including Desart, ANVAC and local arts peak bodies. Early editions established relationships with collectors like John Kaldor and champions such as curators formerly of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and independent curators with connections to the Melbourne Festival and Sydney Festival.
The program typically includes a major survey exhibition, new commissions, the Tarnanthi Art Fair and a series of satellite shows across Adelaide’s cultural precincts including Migration Museum, State Library of South Australia and smaller venues like Civic Centre spaces. Past exhibitions have showcased artists represented by community art centres such as Mangkaja Arts, Warlukurlangu Artists and Papulankutja Artists, and featured works exhibited in regional touring circuits coordinated with institutions like the Regional Arts Australia network. The festival curates exhibitions thematically—often referencing histories associated with places like Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara, waterways around Kangaroo Island and narratives tied to the Stolen Generations era—while engaging lenders from the National Portrait Gallery and independent collectors.
Tarnanthi foregrounds makers including painters, weavers, printmakers and multimedia artists from communities such as the Tiwi, Wiradjuri, Gamilaraay, Ngaanyatjarra and Noongar. It has presented work by notable practitioners associated with community art centres like Yuwalku, Maruku Arts and Lockhart River Art Centre, and has engaged senior artists, emerging practitioners and intergenerational collaborations that include elders linked to the Aṉangu cultural protocols. Partnerships with arts organisations such as Desert Mob and galleries like Sullivan+Strumpf and Baker & Rouse have increased visibility for artists across urban and remote contexts.
Curators involved with Tarnanthi have included staff and guest curators from institutions like the Art Gallery of South Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and independents connected to the Biennale of Sydney and Melbourne Now. Curatorial approaches emphasise Indigenous-led frameworks, community consultation, cultural protocols and ethical loans from communities and organisations such as Aboriginal Art Centres Board and First Nations Media Australia. Recurring themes explore country, ceremony, kinship, sovereignty, language revival and environmental stewardship, often referencing events like the 1967 referendum and sites such as Uluru and the Murray River.
Public programs include artist talks, panel discussions, school programs in partnership with the Department for Education (South Australia), professional development for curators with institutions like the Australian Museum and community workshops run with art centres from Yalata to Borroloola. The festival’s outreach extends to family days, film screenings with collaborators such as SBS and broadcasting partners, and touring education packages circulated to regional galleries including the Art Gallery of Western Australia and community libraries.
Tarnanthi has been widely reviewed in cultural media outlets and journals, prompting commentary from critics associated with publications like The Guardian (Australia), The Sydney Morning Herald, ArtAsiaPacific and academic voices at universities including the University of Adelaide and Australian National University. It is credited with strengthening market recognition for Indigenous artists among collectors, influencing acquisitions by the Art Gallery of New South Wales and international institutions, and shaping curatorial standards around provenance and cultural rights advocated by organisations such as Reconciliation Australia.
Category:Art festivals in Australia Category:Indigenous Australian art