New Gallery of Central Australia opens at Ayers Rock Resort

Complementing the diverse range of Indigenous cultural experiences currently available to guests, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia has advised of the opening of the new Gallery of Central Australia at its Ayers Rock Resort.

Over 80 artworks supporting existing and emerging artists exclusively from the Central Australia region are displayed in the Gallery along with specially curated items like Punu (traditional Anangu wood carving) and pieces designed and hand-made by local communities.

Explaining that the Gallery aims to celebrate and showcase regional Indigenous artists, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia Chief Executive, Matthew Cameron-Smith stated “we are really delighted by the number of Australians wanting to travel to Uluṟu and learn more about the beauty, diversity and wisdom of Indigenous culture, so the opening of this new Gallery comes at a perfect time.

“It was also critically important for us to provide an opportunity for up-and-coming regional artists, many of whom live in remote areas rarely visited by travellers, to have a place to showcase their work and be remunerated fairly and in line with industry standards to ensure an ethical supply chain.”

To date, over 500 consignments have been purchased at the Gallery, resulting in remarkable returns for the local artists.

The Gallery has a strong line up of artworks from painters throughout the vast Central Australia region, which encompasses parts of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. They include talented artists such as Mervyn Robuntja (Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre, Alice Springs, Northern Territory); Imitjala Curley (Kaltjiti Arts, South Australia); Nellie Patterson (Walkatjara Art, Uluru, Northern Territory), Fiona Young (Tjarlirli Arts, Tjukurla, Western Australia) and Elsie and Athena Granites (Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendemu, Northern Territory).

Additionally, there will be an ongoing Artist in Residence program which will run during peak season, with the artists working within the gallery throughout the day. This initiative will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for guests to experience these amazing Indigenous works of art in the making.

The Gallery invites artists via art centres, private galleries and directly to come to the Resort, with Voyages sponsoring their living expenses while they are on site. Artists benefit from both the exposure and the sale of their artworks during their residency.

Cameron-Smith added “in line with Voyages’ purpose, the Gallery of Central Australia will help close the gap by providing further employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians and will eventually be woven into our National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA) program which has already graduated 82 trainees.

“The Gallery of Central Australia is the next important step in Voyages’ larger commitment to showcase the arts in the regions in which we operate,” Cameron-Smith emphasised. “We are continuing to identify opportunities which will ensure this long into the future.”

The Gallery is located adjacent to the newly re-opened Desert Gardens hotel.

Its new logo and gallery branding was designed by Kunmanara (Julie Taria) Brumby who was a senior woman in the Muṯitjulu community, located at Uluru.

Before her death in 2019, Kunmanara Brumby would regularly visit Walkatjara Community Art Centre where she created beautiful works, most often painting the stories of the Seven Sisters, Two Sisters and stories about the waterholes and landscape of her traditional lands.

Today, her artwork adorns The Lost Camel hotel and now the Gallery of Central Australia.

Images show the interiors and entrance at the new Gallery of Central Australia at the Ayers Rock Resort.