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
Locally produced Jilamara fabrics and garment designs starring at Barunga Festival on the weekend as part of UNEARTHED 2025✨✨✨
Big shout out to the amazing Jilamara models DK and Columbiere Tipungwuti — as well as Cassie Putuntatameri @cassie.black_ for putting this great festival show together!
These garments are made locally in Milikapiti by the team at Jilamara Arts with Art Centre Manager and sewing guru Hannah Raisin @hannahraisin_art using fabrics hand screen-printed at the art centre by local staff.
Stay tuned as this community-based fashion project has also been shortlisted for NIFA 2025 — Community Collaboration Award @indigenousfashionprojects
Photography: @daveblakephoto
@barungafest
#columbieretipungwuti #jilamaraarts #cassiepuruntatameri #barungafestival #tiwiart #indigenousfashion
Jilamara’s Walter Brooks and an amazing group of future art centre leaders have been part of this years ANKA Artsworker Extension Program! Today they have been in Melbourne working at the University and visiting the Potter Museum — tomorrow they present public presentations at the Grimwade Centre. Friends in Melbourne please see details below…✨✨✨
💥 One day to go // MELBOURNE, 12th June💥
Opening new pathways: employment and leadership in remote Aboriginal art and culture centres
What does leadership look like in a remote Aboriginal art and culture centre?
What role do Aboriginal art and culture centres play in keeping culture strong and communities connected?
ANKA in partnership with the University of Melbourne Grimwade Centre invites you to a public event in Melbourne. You’ll hear directly from cultural leaders who work at the heart of Aboriginal art and culture centres in remote Northern Australia.
Presenters will address their roles, daily life and leadership in their communities and how they are sustaining and growing culture today.
🟠 Event details
Melbourne
📅 TOMORROW | 🕠 5:30–7:00 pm
📍 University of Melbourne, Fritz Loewe Theatre
📧 RSVP: awepprogram@anka.org.au – let us know if you can attend. All welcome!
We had a great couple days in Naarm for the Weekend Conversations program of 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art at the Potter Museum of Art!
Following their inclusion in this incredible exhibition, Johnathon World Peace Bush and Pedro Wonaeamirri spoke with Judith Ryan on Tiwi Art over the years on Saturday. This was followed up with an great discussion on Sunday between Johnathon, Gordon Hookey and Brian Robinson on humour, playfulness and hard truths in their work ✨✨✨
Curated by Professor Marcia Langton AO, Senior Curator Judith Ryan AM and Associate Curator Shanysa McConville this incredible exhibition includes more than 400 works celebrating the brilliance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art while confronting the dark heart of Australia’s colonial history.
@pottermuseum @unimelb
#65000yearsashorthistoryofaustralianart #pedrowonaeamirri #johnathonworldpeacebush #judithryan #gordonhookey #brianrobinson #tiwiart #pottermuseumofart #unimelb
Congratulations Walter Brooks on being selected as a finalist in this year’s Rigg Design Prize at the National Gallery of Victoria. Stayed tuned for an exceptional inter-generational project that will be featured in the exhibition in September! Congratulations mantani ✨✨✨
National Gallery of Victoria • @ngvmelbourne
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The Rigg Design Prize 2025, Australia’s most prestigious accolade for contemporary design, opens 19 September at NGV Australia.
Marking its 10th edition, this landmark Prize brings into focus 35 outstanding Australian designers under the age of 35, working across ceramics, glass, furniture, woodwork, metalwork, textiles, lighting, and contemporary jewellery
Experience the free exhibition, Rigg Design Prize 2025 – Next in Design: 35 under 35 and celebrate the creative excellence of Australia’s early career designers and makers.
With thanks to Major Partner @deakinuniversity and Major Supporter Cicely & Colin Rigg Bequest managed by Equity Trustees.
@ngvmelbourne
#walterbrooks #jilamaraarts #riggdesignprize2025 #ngv #tiwiart
We all had an amazing time at the opening of Parlingarri Amintiya Ningani Awungarra: Old and New at Jilamara Arts — UNSW Galleries in Sydney on Saturday ✨✨✨
After an amazing group artist talk Pedro Wonaeamirri, Arthurina Moreen, Columbiere Tipungwuti, Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri and Janice Murray Pungautiji treated audiences to a Tiwi Yoyi to celebrate the incredible exhibition spanning over three decades across all the spaces in the university’s gallery!
This was Arthurina’s first time singing for Jilamara dancers, go Rina you’re a star!!
@unswgalleries
#rinamoreen #pedrowonaeamirri #columbieretipungwuti #patrickfreddypuruntatameri #janicemurraypungautiji #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #milikapiti #yoyi #unswgalleries
Ahead of artists talks at tomorrow’s opening of Parlingarri Amintiya Ningani Awungarra: Old and New at Jilamara Arts @unswgalleries, Pedro Wonaeamirri and the team had the opportunity to deliver an artist talk and workshop as part of the Djamu Program at the Art Gallery of New South Wales yesterday.
It was a great opportunity to share stories about the incredible collection of ochre painted ironwood tutini poles in the gallery’s collection commissioned in 1958 and made by artists and family in Milikapiti — one of the first examples of a commission of its nature where the project was framed as an art commission over an anthropological one. It has been great for Pedro and Patrick Freddy to revisit the works in person after their recent exhibition of 20 tutini poles earlier this year at Art Basel Honk Kong ✨✨✨
@agnsw
#jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #tutini #pukumaniceremony #pedrowonaeamirri
Last week Jilamara’s head screen-printer Raylene Miller had an amazing time with the team @printshopnt refreshing skills, sharing knowledge and reinstating this great design by Johnathon World Peace Bush✨✨✨
Printshop • @printshopnt
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Last week we had screen-printer Raylene White from @jilamaraartsandcrafts come in + work alongside the team to refresh her screen exposure skills, so she can keep printing her tees back home on the Tiwi Islands and teach the other printers best practice for screen preparation!
Last week we celebrated the opening of “Yipapirraya arnuwujaputi… Tide going out, tide coming in” at the Midpul Art Gallery in Charles Darwin University’s new city campus.
Organised in partnership with Jilamara Arts and CDU and co-curated by Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni and Joanna Barrkman, this exhibition celebrates the 30 + year history of Jilamara as an arts and culture centre in Milikapiti.
With a range of works from both current and past Jilamara artists the exhibition tracks the origins of Jilamara as an Adult Education Centre specialising in textile arts in the mid 1980s, the development of the Muluwurri Museum collection and incorporation as a Tiwi governed arts centre in the late 80s through to the thriving arts and culture centre it has become today.
For the first time CDU is displaying recent Tiwi acquisitions from Anne and Laurie Marchement’s private collection, historical loans from Jilamara’s Muluwurri Museum as well as new works from the art centre.
In partnership with the University and gallery team this project has also been a great chance for Jilamara staff and artists to build professional development opportunities around developing and realising institutional exhibitions, handling loans and producing a publication ✨✨✨
Now open until July 12th at Midpul Gallery in Charles Darwin University’s Cavenagh St campus there will be a publication launch on Saturday June 21st!
@midpulartgallery @charlesdarwinuniversity
#jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #midpulgallery #darwin #milikapiti
We are all over moon in the small community of Milikapiti today at the announcement of an exceptional selection of Jilamara artists in this year’s NATSIA Awards!
Congratulations to Pedro Wonaeamirri, Kaye Brown and this year a particular shout out to Barbara Puruntatameri for being a first time finalist and Johnathon World Peace Bush for a very special collaboration with his mother Doriana Bush. You are all super stars ✨ ✨✨✨
We are so excited to see all the finalists amazing art work @mag_nt next month for the opening of the exhibition and to be at the iconic Darwin award announcement night on the gallery lawns on the evening of August 8th!
@mag_nt
#pedrowonaeamirri #kayebrown #barbarapuruntatameri #johnathonworldpeacebush #dorianabush #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #natsiaa2025 #telstraawards #natsiaa #museumandartgalleryofthenorthernterritory
Jilamara’s Barbara Puruntatameri on show in great company with some amazing works on stringybark at this year’s Rising Stars exhibition currently open at Darwin’s Waterfront ✨✨✨
Outstation Gallery • @outstation_gallery
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Rising Stars Part 1 is open!
Rising Stars is our annual showcase of extraordinary up-and-coming Aboriginal artists, extending from the Tiwi Islands to the APY lands. This dynamic group exhibition has always been a highlight of Outstation’s art calendar, but this year it is so much more! Not only does it celebrate 17 incredible artists, but it also marks the merging of Paul Johnstone Gallery and Outstation– and is so grand and glorious that it is on show across two incredible locations.
Rising Stars Part 1 is on now at a pop-up space near the Waterfront Lagoon, next to Surf Dive and Ski - if you reach the Oyster Bar you’ve gone too far. This temporary space will feature a range of exhibitions over the coming months while work continues on our permanent gallery by the water, and right now it is alive with breathtaking barks and powerful spirits.
Visit Rising Stars Part 1 and see on the walls the beautiful patterned ochre work of Barbara Puruntatameri from @jilamaraartsandcrafts as well as stunning @bukuartnow barks from Gapaya Munuŋgurr and Merrkiyawuy Munuŋgurr, and from @maningridaarts , a number of fabulous Lucy Yarawanga’s Bawaliba spirits. It’s also worth visiting just to meet the Devil Spirits by @warmunart artist Peter Thomas. They are dark and delightful.
#risingstars #onnow #darwinwaterfront #popup #risingstarspartone #ochreonbark #spirits #outstation #aboriginalart #northernterritory
Stay late this Friday to MCA Australia and enjoy stunning Tiwi artworks including this ironwood tutini pole by Pedro Wonaeamirri — who’s work was recently featured in Encounters at Art Basel Hong Kong ✨✨✨
MCA Australia • @mca_australia
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Stay late this Friday – we’re open until 9pm with 2-for-1 All Access tickets for NSW residents.
Spend an evening in our current exhibitions; ‘Julie Mehretu: A Transcore of the Radical Imaginatory’ closing 27 April, the MCA Collection and new exhibitions ‘Warraba Weatherall: Shadow and Substance’, and ‘The Intelligence of Painting.’ Then grab a drink and a bite in the MCA Cafe at Tallawoladah.
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Installation view ‘MCA Collection: Artists in Focus’, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2025 © the artists, photograph: Hamish McIntosh
Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni just announced as a recipient of Kluge-Ruhe Artist Residency at the University of Virginia in 2026 — congratulations mantanga, well deserved ✨✨✨
Congratulations to all the recipients of this program over the next 2 years, we cannot wait to see what great things come of this round of residencies!
Kluge Ruhe • @klugeruhe
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We are pleased to announce the recipients of Creative Australia’s artist residencies for 2025-26 and 2026-27. After a very competitive open call, residencies were awarded to Robert Fielding (@robertfielding_) , Michelle Woody (@michellewoodyminnapinni , Sonja Carmichael (@sonniecarmichael) and Jenna Lee (@jenna.mlee).
Awardees were selected by a committee made up of alumni of Kluge-Ruhe’s artist residency program. “They, better than anyone else, understand the unique opportunities available to artists through engaging with the University of Virginia and the local community,” explained Kluge-Ruhe director Margo Smith.
Margo Smith steps down as director of Kluge-Ruhe on May 19, although she will remain at UVA in an advisory capacity to assist with onboarding her successor until the end of June. To honor her 27 years of service at Kluge-Ruhe, the museum has established a special gift fund. At Smith’s request, contributions to this fund will support Kluge-Ruhe’s artist residency program. “The artist residency program is one of the most remarkable things Kluge-Ruhe does,” said Smith, “and it’s where the magic happens.”
🔗To make a donation in honor of Margo Smith, follow the link in our bio.
Image 1: Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni with Marriwiyi (pandanus skirt) and earth pigment painting Nguyu Murrakupupuni (my Country). Wulirankuwu Country, image courtesy of the artist and Jilamara Arts. Photo: Will Heathcote @willheathcote_art
Image 2: Margo Smith Introducing Barbara Moore and Sharon Adamson during their residency at Kluge-Ruhe, 2019. Photograph by Tom Cogill.
@uva @uvaarts @creative.australia @mimili_maku_arts @jilamaraartsandcrafts
#klugeruhe #klugeruheaboriginalartcollection
What an amazing week @artbasel Hong Kong celebrating Pedro Wonaeamirri and Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri’s exceptional install for the Encounters section of the fair curated by @alexieglass !
The art across the fair was of course incredible, but we also had such a full week of conversations, friends, events and celebrations ✨✨✨
Highlights included a great artist talk for Art Basel Conversations between Encounters curator Alexie Glass, artist Pedro Wonaeamirri and Jilamara manager Will Heathcote last Sunday, Vernissage previews and curatorial floor tours through the week, the balcony at the China Bar for the TATE Cocktail Reception and of course all the great roast duck!
It was a great week and opportunity to share some insights into Pedro and Patrick’s exceptional collection of 20 Tiwi ironwood Tutini poles on an international stage! Well deserved recognition for an amazing work Mamanta! Many thanks to everyone who came together to make this happen ✨✨✨
@stationgalleryaustralia @alexieglass @willheathcote_art
#artbaselhongkong2025 #pedrowonaeamirri #patrickfreddypuruntatameri #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tutini #tiwiart #hongkong
So great to be in Hong Kong for Art Basel this year and for Pedro Wonaeamirri and Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri’s exceptional work to be featured as a highlight amount so much other amazing work ✨✨✨
Repost from @artbasel
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📸 #ArtBaselHongKong: As the fair ends its second preview day, discover highlights shot by Art Basel’s official photographers ✨
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
📸 #ArtBaselHongKong: As the fair ends it’s second preview day, discover highlights shot by Art Basel’s official photographers ✨
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Credits:
Image 1: View of a work by Lu Yang, presented by de Sarthe in the Encounters sector. © Art Basel
Art Basel’s official show photographers in Hong Kong are Ali Ghorbani, Sunny Hon, Isaac Lawrence, Daniel Murray, and Mike Pickles. The show’s photo editors are Jayne and Alan.
Arts Basel Hong Kong 2025 ✨✨✨
Art truely can be boundless — Pedro Wonaeamirri and Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri have the most exceptional collection of ironwood tutini poles at the biggest international contemporary art fair this week!
In the 1950s Tony Tuckson as the director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales commissioned a collection of Tiwi tutini poles from Milikapiti. It was one of the first times a collection of Indigenous Australian artwork was treated as a contemporary art commission rather than an ethnographic exercise. Over 70 years later from the same small community, Pedro and Patrick have produced an incredible collection of carved tutini now on display at Art Basel 2025 — celebrating their rich cultural heritage through contemporary art making on a global stage ✨✨✨
Supported by Station Gallery this artwork is included in the Encounters section at the fair curated by the amazing Alexie Glass-Kantor @alexieglass
@artbasel @stationgalleryaustralia
#pedrowonaeamirri #patrickfreddypuruntatameri #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #milikapiti #artbaselhongkong
NEWS TODAY: South China Morning Post SCMP feature article ‘How indigenous artists on remote Australian island keep traditions alive through art’
Artist Pedro Wonaeamirri grabs a chunk of chalky ochre from a seaside cliff on a remote island off Australia’s Northern Territory. “Ochre is important for our art and also for ceremonies,” he says, holding a clump of the natural white pigment in his hands. “In a way, this cliff is my art shop where I source supplies but I don’t have to pay GST [goods and services tax].”
Wonaeamirri is a member of the Jilamara Arts & Crafts Association, an indigenous arts centre in Milikapiti, a tiny village on Melville Island located roughly 110km (70 miles) – about a 30-minute flight – north of the city of Darwin.
Melville Island and neighbouring Bathurst Island are collectively known as the Tiwi Islands, the home of the Tiwi people, whose culture – one rich in art, music, dance and ceremony – is shaped by a strong connection with the land.
—Journalist Kylie Knott
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Pedro Wonaeamirri (with Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri) will be represented in Encounters for Art Basel Hong Kong this year with ‘kurrujupuni, arrikininga, yarringa, tunuwuni, kapi katukuni (white, yellow, red, black on ironwood)’ commissioned in 2020 by Brook Andrew, Artistic Director, NIRIN 22nd Biennale of Sydney and presented at Art Basel by STATION Gallery with Jilamara Arts & Crafts
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If you are in Hong Kong for Art Week please join us for Conversations curated by Stephanie Bailey:
Sunday, 31 March, 11am
‘Indigenous songs: performance by Pedro Wonaeamirri’
Pedro Wonaeamirri will present a special performance associated with his installation in Encounters. Followed by a conversation with Alexie Glass-Kantor, Curator, Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong
Venue: Auditorium, N101B, Level 1, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Free and all welcome.
#pedrowonaeamirri #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwi @scmpnews @scmp_lifestyle @kylieknott @jilamaraartsandcrafts @stationgalleryaustralia @brook_garru_andrew @artback_nt @biennalesydney @angelle_says_hi @stephanie_waiyi_bailey @angelle_says_hi @sutton #encounters2025 #artbaselhongkong @alexieglass
ART BASEL HONG KONG 2025 ✨✨✨
@artbasel
We are all thrilled that this exceptional work by Pedro Wonaeamirri and Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri will be shown in Hong Kong as part of Encounters at Art Basel in two weeks time!
Kurrujupuni arrikininga yarringa tunuwuni kapi katukuni is an unprecedented collection of 20 carved ironwood tutini poles painted in locally sourced earth pigments from Country. From the 28-30th of March this work will be on display at one of the world largest international art fairs. It is the first time Tiwi art has been showcased at an Art Basel and Pedro will be performing and speaking with curator Alexie Glass-Kantor in the Encounters Conversation series on Sunday 30th March at 11am ✨✨✨
@artbasel @stationgalleryaustralia @alexieglass
#pedrowonaeamirri #patrickfreddypuruntatameri #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #contemporaryfirstnationsart #artbasel #artbaselhongkong #artbaselhongkong2025
MELBOURNE / Take a walk through Timothy Cook | Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars now on view in our Exhibition Street gallery, through to 11 April 2025.
Cook draws inspiration from parlingarri jilamara, or ancestral designs, passed down through generations. These intricate motifs, a fusion of kurluwukari (circles), pwanga (dots), and marlipinyini (lines), reflect the complex visual language of the Tiwi people.
An enduring focus of Cook’s work is the Kulama (yam), a sacred symbol of the Tiwi initiation ceremony which is held over three days during the yam harvest, when rings of light appear around the moon. This exhibition presents twenty-two new and recent works by Cook, each of which represents Kulama.
Timothy Cook | Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars
D’Lan Contemporary Melbourne | Until 11 April 2025
40 Exhibition Street
Naarm / Melbourne VIC 3000
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Video @gd.content
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@dlancontemporary
#dlancontemporary #australianart #modernart #contemporaryart #firstnations #firstnationsart #timothycook #jilamaraartsandcrafts #naarm #melbourne #2025
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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.
