Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
The art centre is the cultural hub of the community and houses working studios, wood carving and screen-printing workshops, the architecturally designed Kutuwulumi Gallery and the Muluwurri Museum
Our Latest Artwork
Ningiwulla ngirramini kitirumi yilaruwu jilamara
keeping culture strong through art
Our Art Centre
Established in 1989, Jilamara Arts is owned and governed by artists from the community of Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands. Through workshops, training and representation Jilamara members are supported to build careers as internationally renowned artists. In the community it is an important place for many generations of Tiwi people to build bright futures.
Our Culture
Jilamara artists are known for their Tiwi style, producing contemporary works based on ceremonial body painting designs, clan totems and Tiwi creation stories.
Our Art
The term Jilamara describes “design” based on ceremonial ochre markings on the body. Reimagining these styles at the art centre has fostered a dynamic creative field for maintaining Tiwi knowledge, as well as sharing and celebrating contemporary living culture.
Wurrungura
Wurrungura is a multi-media centre and digital archive for the audiovisual documentation and distribution of Tiwi heritage and culture.
Muluwurri Museum
Established in 1988, the collection is held in trust for the Milikapiti community. This important keeping place houses the priceless collection of Tiwi artefacts, carvings, paintings, prints, photographs and war medals.
Ngawa Mantawi
Jilamara’s Ngawa Mantawi program is an inclusive disability program at the art centre, that aims to support members with diverse needs to have sustainable careers in the arts, while living at home close to family and Country.
https://captur3d.io/view/uplands/jilamara-arts-crafts-and-muluwurri-museum 
We are Aboriginal owned and we produce authentic Tiwi art – ironwood carved birds and Tutini poles, ochre paintings on bark, canvas, linen and paper, original limited edition prints and hand screenprinted textiles.
Be part of Jilamara's continued success and join our community of supporters by making a donation in the form on your left
We’re on social @jilamaraartsandcrafts
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ON VIEW NOW IN THE GALLERY:
This Is No Fantasy • @thisisnofantasy
A selection of works by Johnathon World Peace Bush, bringing figures from history, mythology and Western cultural narratives into dialogue with his distinctive Tiwi visual language.
Across these works, Bush turns his attention to Joan of Arc, Burke and Wills, and Themis, the ancient Greek goddess of justice, reimagining familiar figures through Jilamara, ochre and his own idiosyncratic storytelling.
Bush’s paintings bring seemingly disparate histories and cultures into the same visual field, creating unexpected connections between Tiwi Country and stories inherited through religion, mythology, colonial history, and popular culture.
Send us a DM or an email at info@thisisnofantasy.com for a list of Johnathon’s available works
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Images: Johnathon World Peace Bush, installation view, Sydney Contemporary 2026. Photo: Simon Strong
#thisisnofantasy @jilamaraartsandcrafts #johnathonworldpeacebush #jilamaraartsandcraftsassociation
Congratulations Wally Brooks on being selected as a finalist in the National Emerging Art Prize @nationalemergingartprize opening in Sydney later this month with his incredible work Wangatunga Jirtaka Jilamara (folded bark basket with sawfish design)✨✨✨
The National Emerging Art Prize is thrilled to announce our 2026 finalists! Selected from more than 1600 submissions, the 45 paintings and 20 photographs shortlisted for this year’s prize can now be explored online ahead of the NEAP Finalists Exhibition – open at The Garden Gallery in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden from 29 October to 11 November.
Thank you to all of the incredibly talented artists who entered this year and congratulations to our exceptional cohort of finalists. Steered by Amber Creswell Bell, NEAP’s panel of leading artists, tastemakers and culture industry heavyweights pored over every entry to determine the Class of 2026 and was deeply impressed by the calibre of submissions.
@morgans.australia @bellemagazineau @botanicsydney
#neap2026 #ne
TIMOTHY COOK: Kurluwukari | FINAL WEEK
Timothy Cook: Kurluwukari is now entering its final week at D Lan Galleries in New York. @dlangalleries
It has been a privilege to present Kurluwukari in collaboration with Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association, and to bring this important new body of work to audiences in the United States.
If you’re in New York, be sure to visit us in the gallery before 9 October to view these important works in person.
@jilamaraartsandcrafts
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Timothy Cook: Kurluwukari | Until 9 October 2026
D Lan Galleries
25 East 73rd Street
New York / Lenapehoking
Portrait: @gd.content
#timothycook #jilamara #contemporaryart #dlangalleries
The amazing Kaye Brown is presenting work at FRIEZE London this year! Showing with the great team at Sullivan + Strumpf, Kaye will have a selection of her works on stringybark showing at the major UK fair later this month. Congratulations mantanga ✨✨✨
Sullivan + Strumpf • @sullivanstrumpf
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FRIEZE London: Kaye Brown
We are pleased to present Kaye Brown at Frieze London 2026.
Brown’s work explores themes of being on Country on the Tiwi Islands – the sun, the stars, the sky and bush tucker.
First Nations artist Kaye Brown a senior Tiwi culture woman, who is well-versed in Tiwi culture, traditional stories and ‘hard’ Tiwi language. Prior to joining the Jilamara Arts and Crafts association, Brown taught at Milikpiti Primiary School and worked in the library. Rather than painting with a brush, Brown uses the kayimwagakimi, a traditional Tiwi painting ‘comb’ carved from ironwood.
Frieze London
14 Oct – 18 Oct 26
The Regent’s Park, London
@jilamaraartsandcrafts
@friezeofficial
Pictured: Kaye Brown, Yirrinkiripwoja (body paint design), 2026, locally sourced ochre on stringbark. 129 x 94 cm.
Behind the scenes look at material collection on the Tiwi Islands — the early stages of developing exhibitions like Timothy Cook’s incredible solo “Kurluwukari” on now in New York at DLan Galleries ✨✨✨
INSIGHTS | Process and Material Collection Short Film
Timothy Cook: Kurluwukari is now on view at D Lan Galleries in New York. We are delighted to share this short film offering insight into the material and processes fundamental to Cook’s practice.
Filmed on the Tiwi Islands in collaboration with Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association, the film follows Cook’s material and artistic processes, exploring how material, place and cultural knowledge come together to inform his work.
We invite you to view the full film on Insights via the link in our bio.
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@jilamaraartsandcrafts
Videography: Gus Davidson (@gdcontent)
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TIMOTHY COOK: Kurluwukari
10 September – 9 October
D Lan Galleries
25 East 73rd Street
New York / Lenapehoking
10021
Yesterday we opened the new look Murrijimuwu Manimpurruwa screen-printing workshop at Jilamara Arts in Milikapiti!
The original shed has been a permanent fixture at the art centre since the facility opened as an Adult Education Centre translating ceremonial body paint designs to wearable fabric in the early 1980s. Through the 1990s textile arts were fazed out in favour of painting studios and the shed housed a working space for some of Australia’s most accomplished artists to emerge from Jilamara —.such as Kitty Kantilla Kutuwulumi, Pedro Wonaeamirri and Timothy Cook.
In 2018, at the request of the organisation’s longest standing member Raelene Kerinauia screen-printing was again set up in the space with 26 new screen designs. In 2024, the organisation further reinstated a historical capsule collection of 9 designs from the centres origins in the 1980s. These designs were launched at DAAF that same year with a community-led fashion parade that received the National Indigenous Fashion Award for Community Collaboration.
Recently, after years of community members asking for the return of the amazing outfits made and worn around Milikapiti in 1980s, Jilamara had been able to reinstate sewing in the screen-workshop. With the generous support of NIAA through Remote Job and Economic Development, the organisation has been able to support more Tiwi staff working in the studio to make this possible.
This program has also supported the renovation of Jilamara’s iconic old shed. It is now lined, insulated, air conditioned and relatively dust free with bifold doors and great lighting, giving it a whole new lease on life ✨✨✨
#niaa #jilamaraarts #tiwiislands #screenprinting
We had an amazing time at the opening of Timothy Cook’s hallmark exhibition in New York City last week! Unfortunately, it was too far for Timothy to travel, he instead sent a career defining body of art work and a cohort of emerging Jilamara talent to share and celebrate his work!
Wally Brooks and Colin Puruntatameri did an amazing job speaking at the opening and singing | dancing in Timothy’s honour. They also presented the exhibition and spoke about the art centre with a group from the University of New York in the afternoon before the opening. It was amazing to meet and share with new US audiences, as well as see some familiar faces so far from home…
It was a great evening celebrating the incredible career of one of the Tiwi Island’s and Australia’s most recognised and accomplished artists! Congratulations Timothy Cook you are a super star 💫💫💫
KURLUWUKARI is on at D’Lan Galleries on the Upper East Side until October 9, 2026
@dlangalleries #timothycook #tiwiart #newyorkcity
Having recently exhibited at Sydney Contemporary with the amazing team at This Is No Fantasy, Johnathon is showing audiences some of his recent studies of the London skyline animated with with jilamara (Tiwi ochre designs) — inspired by his time at the opening of his exhibition at No.9 Cork St last year!
This Is No Fantasy • @thisisnofantasy
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Following his 2025 trip to London for 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴 at Frieze No.9 Cork Street, Johnathon World Peace Bush turns his attention to the city itself.
In this new body of work, familiar London landmarks are transformed through Bush’s distinctive visual language, bringing together observations from his travels with Tiwi Jilamara, figuration, and locally sourced natural earth pigments from Melville Island.
London’s monuments, architecture and symbols of power are absorbed into compositions grounded in the colours and visual traditions of Tiwi Country, continuing Bush’s ongoing dialogue between different histories, cultures and ways of seeing.
Bush made his international solo debut in London with 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴 at with THIS IS NO FANTASY at Frieze No.9 Cork Street in February 2025.
Send us a DM or an email at info@thisisnofantasy.com for a list of Johnathon’s available works
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Images:
1. Johnathon World Peace Bush, Tower Bridge, London, 2026
locally sourced earth pigments/ochres on linen, 150 x 150 cm
2. Johnathon World Peace Bush in London, 2025. Photograph by Will Heathcote, Courtesy Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association.
#thisisnofantasy @jilamaraartsandcrafts #johnathonworldpeacebush #jilamaraartsandcraftsassociation
Last week while we were in Charlottesville for the performance of Jilarti (2021) at the University of Virginia Rotunda, Wally Brooks had the chance to make a print at Infinite Repeats — print shop and gallery. @infiniterepeatsworldwide
With help from the great studio team he printed his Jirtaka (Sawfish) design in ochre pigments that we brought from the Tiwi Islands! He also introduced the studio to Wally’s Jilamara anthem Bawuypawuy — Drifting Clouds ✨✨
@klugeruhe @uva
#wallybrooks #infiniterepeatsworldwide #jilamaraarts #tiwiart
We had a great time presenting at the American Australian Association last night in the lead up to Timothy Cook’s incredible solo exhibition at D’Lan Galleries New York — what a view!
D’Lan • @dlandavidson
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Such a beautiful event tonight with @jilamaraartsandcrafts and @_aaausa put together by @lucilleannfoster for @dlangalleries for Timothy Cook.
#timothycook #jilamaraarts #dlangalleries #americanaustralianassociation #newyork
The Jilamara team have just arrived in New York ahead of an artist talk at the American Australian Association tonight, here is a sneak peak of the exhibition they will be talking about — Timothy Cook’s incredible show “Kurluwukari” opening tomorrow night ✨✨✨
@dlandavidson • I was jet lagged in New York - until I stepped into @dlangalleries … and now I’m wide awake!! WOW.
TIMOTHY COOK in New York - here’s your sneak peek!
#timothycook #jilamaraarts #tiwi #dlangalleries #newyork
We just had an unforgettable week in the Kluge-Ruhe cottage in Charlottesville, Virginia!
Jilamara Arts team Wally Brooks, Colin Puruntatameri and Will Heathcote had the chance to spend valuable time with the great Tiwi collection they have here at the University of Virginia. While in residence, they were also able to repair a damaged ironwood tutini pole by Sabo Tipiloura. Collected in the 1980s from Pima Art, this carving was damaged in transit to the USA and has never been exhibited. Fortunately, the broken pieces were kept and combined with some materials brought from the Tiwi Islands the work was able to be repaired.
The current Australian Ambassador to the USA, Greg Moriarty, even dropped in on Sunday to give us a hand ✨✨✨
Many thanks to the amazing team at Kluge-Ruhe, Henry Skerritt and Emmy Monaghan for your generous hospitality!
@klugeruhe @uva
#wallybrooks #colinheenanpuruntatameri #jilamaraarts #tiwiart #klugeruhe
Jilamara crew Colin Puruntatameri @colinjames_art , Wally Brooks and Will Heathcote @willheathcote_art had a great time in Washington DC last week! They are on their way to the Kluge-Ruhe at the University of Virginia to see Pedro Wonaeamirri’s award-winning multi-media work Jilarti (2021) enter the collection through a performance at the university’s rotunda.
They had the chance to see many of the capital’s monuments, have morning tea with Sara Moriarty, Richard Klingler and Jane Slatter at the Australian Ambassador’s residence that houses an amazing Timothy Cook in the dinning room. They also visited the Australian Embassy and Laura Nix showed them around the great art collection on site and spent time at the National Gallery of Art with curators Dakota Hoska and Lynn Matteny.
They will now spend a week at the Kluge-Ruhe Museum cottage in Charlottesville before travelling to New York City for Timothy Cook’s exhibition at D’Lan Galleries next week ✨✨✨
@klugeruhe
@uva
#pedrowonaeamirri #colinheenanpuruntatameri #wallybrooks #jilamaraarts #tiwiart
Wonderful to catch up with the Hon. Marion Scrymgour MP and the Hon. Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Skills and Training today at the Tiwi Training and Skills Roundtable in Wurrumiyanga and then welcome them to Jilamara in Milikapiti to see some of the outstanding work in skills, training and employment happening in the remote Aboriginal art and culture centres. Around Australia art and culture centres provide culturally safe and informed, strength based education, skills, training and authentic employment outcomes.
Tiwi art and culture centres currently employ 66 people, of which 54 are Tiwi — that’s over 80% of the workforce.
In the last financial year alone Jilamara worked with 123 artists in a community of 414 people. That’s almost 30% of the entire community.
We need real and sustained investment to increase our on Country community and industry informed training within our organisations. We have shown we are capable and competent in determining our own industry relevant training needs and delivering this training in a culturally appropriate manner.
Tiwi art and culture centres are currently returning $5 for every $1 Federal investment, imagine what art and culture centres could achieve if we were appropriately resourced?
@marionscrymgourmp
@andrewgilesmp
#tiwi #training
Johnathon World Peace Bush starring at Sydney Contemporary amongst amazing company with the great team at This Is No Fantasy ✨✨✨
This Is No Fantasy • @thisisnofantasy
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NOW OPEN
03 - 06 SEPTEMBER
Carriageworks, Sydney
JOHNATHON WORLD PEACE BUSH | ELLEN DAHL | JACKSON FARLEY | YHONNIE SCARCE | ALI TAHAYORI
The presentation brings together the distinct practices of the gallery artists united by a rigorous engagement with history, identity and power. It reflects the gallery’s commitment to showcasing ambitious, conceptually driven art.
FAIR HOURS:
Thursday 04 September | 11 AM - 4 PM | 5:30 - 9 PM Art Night
Friday 05 September | 11 AM - 4 PM | 4 - 8 PM Friday Night
Saturday 05 September | 11 AM - 6 PM
Sunday 06 September | 11 AM - 5 PM
Send us a DM or an email at info@thisisnofantasy.com for a catalogue 👀
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#thisisnofantasy #sydneycontemporary #johnathonworldpeacebush @jilamaraartsandcrafts @ellendahlfoto @jackson__farley @yhonniescarce @alitahayori @brud.studia @oigall_projects
Photography: Simon Strong
Pedro Wonaeamirri’s solo exhibition “Awirankini Jilamara kapi Purinjirringuwi: new designs on wood” is currently on at STATION Gallery in Sydney 💫💫💫
Last Friday Pedro travelled with Colin Puruntatameri and Wally Brooks to Sydney ahead of Colin returning to the University of Virginia to perform Pedro’s award-winning multi-media performance artwork Jilarti (Brolga) into the Kluge-Ruhe collection. Having Colin perform for Pedro in to USA celebrates the intergenerational stewardship of his contemporary Tiwi creative practice. Ahead of this significant moment the three Jilamara artists sang together on Gadagal land to celebrate Pedro’s exhibition and the international recognition of his career as a singer, cultural ambassador and visual artist.
This extraordinary exhibition of tunga (folded bark baskets) and ochres paintings on both stringybark and ply board is open until October 3, 2026 — 91 Campbell Street, Surrey Hills
@stationgalleryaustralia @klugeruhe
#pedrowonaeamirri #colinheenanpuruntatameri #wallybrooks #jilamaraarts
TIMOTHY COOK: KURLUWUKARI | Opening Event
Timothy Cook: Kurluwukari marks D Lan Galleries’ second solo presentation of the artist’s work. Our first, at Melbourne Art Fair 2025, presented his new large-scale bark paintings for the first time. Kurluwukari builds upon that exhibition, bringing bark and linen together in New York to reveal the continuity and ongoing experimentation within Cook’s practice.
It is a privilege to present this exhibition in collaboration with Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association (@jilamaraartsandcrafts) and to bring this important new body of work to audiences in the United States.
We hope you can join us in New York for the opening event on Thursday 10 September, from 6-8pm, to experience these remarkable works in person. We are also thrilled to announce that we will be joined by Colin Heenan-Puruntatameri and Timothy’s grandson, Wally Brooks, as well as Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association’s Manager, Will Heathcote for a special evening celebrating this important artist and his work.
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We welcome you to browse the online catalogue now available via the link in our bio.
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Timothy Cook : Kurluwukari
10 September - 9 October
25 East 73rd Street
New York / Lenapehoking
Videography: @gd.content
Pedro Wonaeamirri and a small Jilamara group are in Sydney for one day only before part of the group make their way to the USA for an incredible public program. Pedro will be at STATION Gallery in Surrey Hills tonight at 5pm to celebrate his current exhibition 💫💫💫
STATION • @stationgalleryaustralia
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EXHIBITION | SYDNEY
Please join us tomorrow, Friday 28 August, 5-7pm, to celebrate the opening of Pedro Wonaeamirri’s exhibition ‘Awirankini jilamara kapi purinjirringuwi: new designs on wood’ at STATION Gadigal / Sydney.
To mark the occasion, Pedro will share a special performance alongside Telstra NATSIAA Award winning artist Colin Heenan-Puruntatameri and artist Walter Brooks – offering a unique opportunity to experience the cultural knowledge and stories that underpin contemporary living Tiwi culture, Pedro’s practice and the works in the exhibition.
Performance
Friday 28 August, 5:30pm
STATION Gadigal / Sydney
All welcome.
To request a preview catalogue, follow the link in bio.
(Images: #PedroWonaeamirri ‘Awirankini jilamara kapi purinjirringuwi: new designs on wood’ 2026, installation view, STATION, Gadigal/Sydney. Photo: @documentphotography)
#STATIONaustralia
#STATIONsydney
#PedroWonaeamirri
@jilamaraartsandcrafts
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The art centre is the cultural hub of Milikapiti Community, it is also an important place for local school children to learn through culture classes and for many generations of Tiwi people to build bright futures.
