NGV exhibition close to home with extensive reach

While audiences may be still be small for the reopening of the Nat­ional Gallery of Victoria, the drawcard is huge — the largest ­exhibition of Tiwi Islander art ever.

Installer Chris Maxwell at an installation of Tiwi pukumani tutini (ceremonial mourning poles), part of a new exhibition at NGV called TIWI. Picture: Aaron Francis

While audiences may be still be small for the reopening of the Nat­ional Gallery of Victoria, the drawcard is huge — the largest ­exhibition of Tiwi Islander art ever.

Director Tony Ellwood said TIWI had been years in the planning and was an “incredible” way to welcome people back to the ­gallery, with NGV Australia reopening on Monday and NGV International reopening on ­December 19 with the Triennial. “It’s the definitive Tiwi exhibition, it’s a culture that particularly down south is under-recognised.”

The exhibition features almost 300 works by more than 70 artists, dating from 1911 to contemporary, drawing from state and private collections and the NGV’s substantial collection that has been acquiring Tiwi art for a long time.

Ellwood said Tiwi art was still “sort of undervalued and under-recognised” with people unaware of the materials and traditional forms that are still used today. “I think a lot of people are still unaware of that part of Australia and indigenous complexity,” he said.

The highlight of the exhibition, and one of the most familiar aspects of Tiwi art, is the NGV’s collection of pukumani tutini (ceremonial mourning poles).

The ironwood sculptures, painted with Tiwi ochres, feature poles created between 1912 and 2019, including works by master carvers Declan Apuatimi, Mani Luki, Leon Puruntatameri and Mario Walarmerpui. Ellwood said the exhibition brought together different groups, narratives and points in time to show a continuation of distinct tradition.

“It’s a beautifully designed show, a dramatic, striking exhibition so people will enjoy that experience as well. And it’s free.” He said COVID-19 restrictions might limit the number of city workers stopping by during the week, but Melbourne had a strong art scene and he was quietly optimistic people would return to the gallery.

Senior curator Judith Ryan said the exhibition was “phenomenally exciting … It’s long overdue because we haven’t ever had the chance to see such a huge display focusing from 1911 to now, over 100 years of Tiwi art.”

Dr Ryan said Tiwi Islanders had been separated from other indigenous people and the mainland for almost all their existence and had been keen to share their art when they interacted with explorers and missionaries.

Embracing textiles, pottery, paper and canvas, Dr Ryan said Tiwi artists had readily translated ceremonial designs, opening up new opportunities for their work.

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