Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives produce some of the most beautiful designs in our country, and we’re taking a moment to appreciate their inimitable work.
Advertisement
From Kip & Co’s collaboration with Bábbarra Women’s Centre in Maningrida, and Adairs’ work with artists Miimi + Jiinda, a mother-daughter duo hailing from the Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti and Bundjalung tribes of Australia’s east coast, to new collections by independent artists such as Brad Turner, it’s possible to inject these wonderful artworks into every room of your home.
Decades-long initiatives such as the Aboriginal Culinary Journey collection from Breville are bringing the world’s oldest living culture closer to home and daily life. “Living in the heart of people’s homes these once everyday objects, now wrapped in Country, become cultural ambassadors,” said Margo Ngawa Neale, Head of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, Senior Indigenous Curator and Advisor, The National Museum of Australia of the project. “This is what makes the Aboriginal Culinary Journey collection so significant – it’s more than just a product, it’s a piece of our culture and Country in the same way we buy art on canvas for our homes.”
So, from a limited edition textured coffee machine design that speaks of ritual and community while it brightens up the benchtop and sends profits directly to the artists that created it, to a show-stopping framed print that drives an entire living room colour palette, these are the pieces we’re coveting right now.
Bringing often much-needed texture and movement to your kitchen benchtop, this design, ‘Tingari Men and the Ancestral Snake at Wilkinkarra’ by Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri transforms the daily ritual of making coffee into, “A meaningful tradition that puts the mind and body in a calm and positive space.” How beautifully fitting. SHOP NOW
You might remember this artwork as seen in Deb and Andy’s living room on The Block 2019 and it’s always been a favourite of ours. The colours are a lovely mix of calming dusty pinks and moody browns, within a design that represents meeting places and a coming together of family and friends in community. SHOP NOW
We love a round cushion to break up all the block shapes in a living room or bedroom. This screen-printed cushion features Gunditjmara woman and artist Eva Pointing’s original design in brilliant ochre on 100% linen. SHOP NOW
Filled with 100% PET recycled fibres, the legacy of senior textile artist Helen Lanyinwanga lives on in this bold design featuring her signature themes of stone country and sacred rock. SHOP NOW
The warmth of this luxurious quilt lies beyond tangible layers and extends into the design itself, with colours of the earth combining in a rich palette to play with in the bedroom. SHOP NOW
Framed Warlukurlangu Aboriginal art print – Yumari Dreaming
This romantic artwork by Joy Brown from Warlukurlangu Artists depicts Yumari, a rocky location in the Gibson Desert – the site of a forbidden love union featured in a dreaming passed down to the artist by a Pintupi man. SHOP NOW
Meaning ‘Coastal Wonder’, this print is a wonderful way to incorporate Aboriginal artwork into a neutral space, allowing the intricate design to speak volumes. Choose from a variety of sizes and framing options. SHOP NOW
Hovering above a natural timber base, according to collaborating artists Miimi + Jiinda Lowanna, the design on the lampshade is inspired, “…by our ancient and sacred Indigenous woman’s birthing caves here on Gumbaynggirr country. SHOP NOW
In the soft grey geometric design of this quilt cover, senior Kuninjku artist Janet Marawarr has depicted kunkurra, the spiralling wind associated with several sites in the Kardbam clan. SHOP NOW
Meaning ‘Moontide’, this stunning artwork is available on museum-grade cotton rag paper or as a stretched canvas and made to order in your choice of size. The gentle patterns radiate from the central motif to spark life into a space. SHOP NOW