In 1997, artists from Tjuntjuntjara in the desert of Western Australia, formed the Spinifex Arts Project. Their goal was to create art that would serve as evidence in their legal battle to reclaim their land. Thanks to a generous gift, you can now view many of these pieces in a new exhibition titled "In the Beginning: Paintings by Senior Artists of the Spinifex Arts Project" on display at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia. In this episode, we learn about the Spinifex Arts Project and the pieces in the exhibition from its curator, Katina Davidson.

Simon Hogan painting. Photo by Amanda Dent courtesy of Spinifex Arts Project

More information about the exhibition and Kluge Ruhe: https://kluge-ruhe.org/exhibition/in-the-beginning-paintings-by-senior-artists-of-the-spinifex-arts-project/#exhibition

Art and storytelling allow sisters Dora and Jan Griffiths— Aboriginal artists from Western Australia—to maintain an unbroken line of culture from the past and carry it into the future.

Learn more: https://kluge-ruhe.org/

This week we introduce a new project from the Kluge-Ruhe made in collaboration with UVA Press. Curator Henry Skerritt dives into the history of the Papunya Tula Artists — a movement started in Northern Australia that is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Kluge-Ruhe’s current exhibit and launch of their new project both serve as a tribute to the Papunya Tula Artists who changed the face of global contemporary art. Learn more about Papunya Tula: https://kluge-ruhe.org/exhibition/irrititja-kuwarri-tjungu-past-present-together-50-years-papunya-tula-artists/

Artist Marrnyula Mununggurr is well renowned in the Yonglu community for her warmth and creative genius. Her work will finally go on display in the United States this September with the the opening of “MAḎAYIN: Eight decades Aboriginial Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala.” Mary Garner McGehee spoke with Kluge-Ruhe curator Henry Skerritt to get an inside look on Marrnyula’s work and creative process. Learn more about MAḎAYIN: https://madayin.kluge-ruhe.org

Artist Djambawa Marawili came up with the idea for the exhibition "MAḎAYIN, Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala" over six years ago. Soon his vision will become reality when MAḎAYIN opens at the Hood Museum at Dartmouth in September. In this episode, Kluge-Ruhe curator Henry Skerritt introduces us to Djambawa Marawili and tells us the story of the birth of MAḎAYIN.

Learn more about MAḎAYIN: https://madayin.kluge-ruhe.org