Yolŋu Power: The Art of Yirrkala

Offers a comprehensive insight into a group of world-recognized and celebrated artists

The art of Yirrkala is inextricably intertwined with its cultural, political, and social history. For almost one hundred years, artists from this small community in north-east Arnhem Land in Australia’s Northern Territory have shared art as a means of cultural diplomacy--as a respectful assertion of power in its diverse forms, from sovereignty to influence, authority, and control, to energy, strength, and pride.

Published in association with a major survey at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Yolŋu Power features over two hundred works from the 1940s to the present day. It considers the significant moments in Yirrkala’s history when artists have consciously altered their practice, developed new styles, or embraced new mediums. It also contextualizes the work of individual artists within the broader school of artists from Yirrkala and surrounding Miwatj Country.

An essay by the exhibition’s curator, Cara Pinchbeck, provides an overview of the various innovative art practices in Yirrkala, examining the influence of inheritance, family connections, and acts of diplomacy and activism. Djambawa Mariwili and Kade McDonald discuss the nuances of speaking for Country (land, sea, and sky), and Will Stubbs writes on the power embodied in Yolŋu art.

The plates are interspersed with voices from Yirrkala, past and present, offering a range of perspectives on the visual culture of this important art center.

Exhibition Dates:

June 21-October 6, 2025

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

Cara Pinchbeck is head of First Nations at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. A member of the Kamilaroi community, she has curated over twenty exhibitions. Her recent publications include Noŋgirrŋa Marawili: From My Heart and Mind and Art from Milingimbi: Taking Memories Back. Contributors: Djambawa Mariwili, Kade McDonald, and Will Stubbs