Djalkiri Wänga – The Land is My Foundation

This national touring exhibition contained bark paintings, crayon drawings and contemporary lino prints covering 50 years of art production from Yirrkala, in Northeast Arnhem Land, none of which have been exhibited previously. All artworks were from the Berndt Museum's Collection. The exhibition sought to illustrate the spiritual significance attached to specific areas of land by specific groups of Yolgnu people (Northeast Arnhem Land) and, to demonstrate its longevity. Taken together, the crayon drawings, the bark paintings and the linocut prints demonstrated a striking continuity of subject-matter over a period of almost 50 years, highlighting the continuing spiritual importance of land to Yolgnu people.