The winners of the 2024 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) were announced on Friday evening, celebrating the finest in Indigenous art across Australia. Hosted by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), this prestigious event highlighted the exceptional talent and cultural depth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. 2024 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Winners Announced
The 2024 NATSIAA panel of judges, comprising Putuparri Tom Lawford, Keith Munro, and Katina Davidson, expressed their admiration for the finalists. In a joint statement, they said, “Congratulations to the 2024 Telstra NATSIAA finalists. They have all collectively continued to honour the legacy of culture and artistic expression from our unique places and spaces. We were entrusted with a task – to deeply understand each work, the artist, and their intentions and then decide on a winner. There were outstanding works across all categories, making the role of the judge very difficult.”
The judges also commended the diversity of artistic materials and the interpretation of stories, many of which addressed timely themes that have captured national attention. They praised the artists for using their craft to highlight important cultural, social, political, and ceremonial narratives.
Noli Rictor Wins Prestigious 2024 Telstra Art Award
Noli Rictor, a Pitjantjatjara man and artist from Tjuntjuntjara in Western Australia, was awarded the prestigious 2024 Telstra Art Award, valued at $100,000, for his painting “Kamanti.” This synthetic polymer on linen piece depicts the significant site of Kamanti, located in the northern Spinifex Lands, home to the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa (Two Men Creation Line). Rictor’s work beautifully illustrates the Country he was born into, reflecting the spiritual and cultural heritage that has shaped his life.
Adam Worrall, Director of MAGNT, expressed his excitement for Rictor’s win, stating, “Noli’s work is a testament to his exceptional talent and deep connection to the Spinifex Lands. His depiction of the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa at Kamanti offers a powerful glimpse into his heritage, beautifully illustrating the Ancestral narratives that shape his Country and community.”
Other Award Categories and Winners
- Telstra General Painting Award: Lydia Balbal, a Mangala Traditional Owner based in Bidyadanga/Broome, WA, won this category for “Keeping up with the Balbals,” a synthetic polymer on enamel-painted steel car bonnet. The artwork, a conduit to her homelands, reflects her family’s journey and the challenges faced by Aboriginal people today. Highly commended in this category were Bugai Whyoulter’s “Kartarru (Blue Hills Station, Canning Stock Route Well 24)” and Nancy Long Nungarrayi and Rene Long Nungarrai’s “Pereltye.”
- Telstra Bark Painting Award: Wurrandan Marawili, a Yolŋu Matha Traditional Owner from Yirrkala, NT, won this award for “Rumbal, the body/the truth,” an earth pigment work on stringybark. The piece represents the Maḏarrpa clan’s connection to the estate of Baraltja, home to the Lightning Snake Mundukul. Highly commended was Milminyina Dhamarrandji’s “Dhambadiny – Death Adder 2.”
- Telstra Work on Paper Award: Shannon Brett, a Wakka Wakka, Butchulla, and Gooreng Gooreng artist, took home this award for “An Australian Landscape.” The piece challenges racism and promotes respect for all First Nations people, emphasizing their enduring presence on their sovereign lands.
- Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award: Kuninjku man Obed Namirrkki from Maningrida, NT, won for his work “Kunkurra,” an earth pigment and PVA fixative on stringybark piece. The artwork depicts the spiraling wind associated with the Kardbam clan estate and reflects a rich family legacy of painting. The judges praised Namirrkki’s striking and well-executed sculptural lorrkon (hollow log).
- Telstra Multimedia Award: Natalie Davey, a Walmajarri and Bunuba artist from Fitzroy Crossing in WA’s Kimberley region, won for her single-channel video “River report,” which documents an extreme flooding event in her community. Davey emphasized the importance of recording and telling these stories amidst increasing extreme events.
- Telstra Emerging Artist Award: Pitjantjatjara language artist Josina Pumani was recognized for her work “Maralinga,” a clay and underglaze pot that tells the story of the British nuclear tests at Maralinga in the mid-1950s. Pumani highlighted the lasting impacts on the Aṉangu people whose lands and lives were severely affected. Highly commended in this category was Julieanne Gitjpulu Malibirr for “Gunga Djama” (pandanus work).
Celebrating the Legacy of NATSIAA
The Telstra NATSIAA, now in its 41st year, is Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious art award of its kind. Presented on Larrakia Country in Darwin by MAGNT and Principal Partner Telstra, the 2024 awards featured 72 finalists from across Australia, selected from a total of 238 entries. This year’s awards highlighted the significant participation of female artists, with 42 of the featured artworks created by women, and welcomed 21 emerging artists.
Established by MAGNT in 1984, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards aim to recognize and promote the quality and diversity of Indigenous art throughout Australia. Over the past 40 years, the awards have been a pivotal moment in the careers of many finalists and winners.
As NATSIAA celebrates its 33-year partnership with Telstra, the 2024 awards continue to honor the rich cultural heritage, creativity, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
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