On Friday the country’s most prestigious awards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists were held, under slightly different circumstances than usual. Gamilaroi woman and host of The Today Show Brooke Boney presented the first-ever live online broadcast for NATSIAA, a dynamic and exciting celebration of the seven category winners chosen from 65 shortlisted entries.
The biggest win of the night went to Ngarralja Tommy May, a Wangkajunga and Walmajarri artist who took out the Telstra Art Award for his work Wirrkanja depicting his family’s Country, with a prize of $50,000. The six other category winners – Adrian Jangala Robertson, Iluwanti Ken, Marrnyula Munyngurr, Siena Mayutu Wurmarri Stubbs, Jenna Lee and Cecilia Umbagai – each took home $5,000 for their achievements.
There was a wide variety of mediums represented in the winning artists. Multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer Jenna Lee, who won the Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award for her work HIStory vessels, used the cover and pages of the Ladybird History Book ‘The Story Of Captain Cook’ to create a series of sculptures based on ancestral vessels. ‘For me, it was never about winning. I love the community that’s formed around the NATSIAA – all the artists follow each other and get to know each other’, says Jenna. ‘It’s so nice that industry experts agree that what I’m trying to say, and make, and the stories I’m trying to tell are important.’
There’s still one major award to be decided – The People’s Choice Award. Take a tour of the NATSIAA virtual gallery to see all the incredible shortlisted projects and cast your vote!