Curator: Margie West
Since its inauguration in 1983, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA) has consistently succeeded in show-casing the changing face of contemporary Aboriginal art practice. It is arguably the premier event on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and national annual art calendar. If the scale of an exhibition's opening is anything to go by NATSIAA is certainly growing bigger and better each year. For the first time at this year's opening the awards were presented or rather 'danced' to the winners by Tiwi performers in ceremonial dress. This gesture may not have gone down too well with the local descent group, the Larrakia, however Koolpinyah (Richard Barnes), a senior Larrakia and exhibiting artist in the award, did present an opening address on behalf of his people.1
In terms of the number of entries, however, the thirteenth award saw a decrease of about thirty on to last year's Award. Also its previous strong representation from certain communities, like Balgo, Ngukurr, and the Torres Strait Islands, was noticeably diminished or absent. Some of the edge and experimentation of past entries also seemed lacking-more of a indication of the high standards that have been set rather than any serious lapses in artistic production. Nevertheless the thirteenth NATSIAA is a 'must-see' and justifiably well acclaimed exhibition. Now into its second year as a travelling exhibition its increased profile and accessibility is a welcome and logical evolution.
While I was walking through the exhibition, pen and clipboard in hand, one of the Museum's attendants asked me how I could possible critique the works as they come from a 'different' culture: his point being that a non-Aboriginal appreciation could only take place