2021 Telstra NATSIAA finalists announced
Sixty-five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander finalists from across Australia have been selected from a total of 248 entries in the 2021 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Telstra NATSIAA), presented by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) in partnership with Telstra.
Telstra NATSIAA is Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious Indigenous art award. The awards profile has grown significantly since its genesis in 1984. Each year, the awards ceremony and exhibition celebrates the emerging and distinguished artistic talent from around Australia.
Thirty-four finalists are from the Northern Territory with 14 from Western Australia, nine from South Australia, four from Queensland including one Torres Strait Islander artist. Three artists hail from New South Wales and one Victorian artist was also selected. The number of total entries received increased versus last year.
“On behalf of MAGNT, I warmly congratulate this year’s Telstra NATSIAA Finalists. I commend the selection panel for making some very tough decisions with such high-quality works. This year’s artists will undoubtedly contribute to a high-impact exhibition with their breadth of artwork mediums and stories from urban and remote places in Australia. We look forward to sharing this artwork with wide audiences via the physical and virtual exhibition experience with sincere thanks to Telstra, our longstanding partner,” said MAGNT Director Marcus Schutenko.
“Telstra is incredibly excited to be celebrating 30 years of partnership with NATSIAA. I have seen firsthand these awards grow from strength to strength on a global scale and feel truly proud to be part of such an important event,” Telstra CEO Andrew Penn said.
“The quality and scope of the work this year is exceptional. Whatever the style, whatever the medium, there is an extraordinary power and beauty in Indigenous art. I look forward to hearing the winners’ announcement in August and seeing the exhibition in person this year.”
Fourteen artworks are by emerging artists and visitors will experience a range of three-dimensional, multimedia, paintings, bark paintings and works on paper from Saturday 7 August 2021.
The Selection Panel included:
- Wadjarri, Nhanda and Nyoongar Artist and former Telstra NATSIAA Judge Glenn Iseger- Pilkington
- Gulumirrgin (Larrakia)/Wadaman and Karajarri woman and National Gallery of Australia Curator Tina Baum
- Trawlwoolway Artist and Curator Julie Gough
“2021 saw us reviewing a vast number of exceptionally high-quality works, which was incredibly encouraging given the challenges that artists have faced over the last 12 months – creating work during a pandemic that limited travel, delaying arrival of supplies and had people in a state of worry. Receiving such a volume of great submissions made our job as a selection panel even more challenging. What we were left with after three days of deliberation, is a selection of work from across Australia that is testament to the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, artists, makers and custodians. It is always a challenge to select from such a large number of submissions, but also a great honour, and an opportunity to see works by artists we’re not familiar with who are doing really interesting things creatively,” said the selection panel.
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