New exhibition celebrating First Nations artists to open at the Art Gallery of Western Australia

Phoebe Blogg Updated February 11, 2026 - 12.18pm (AWST), first published February 9, 2026 at 6.00am (AWST)

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Tamisha Williams 'Chilling out Ngurra' 2020. The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia. Image: Bo Wong.

The Art Gallery of Western Australia is proud to announce its major new exhibition: I AM.

The exhibition celebrates the depth, diversity and creative strength of Aboriginal artists, featuring a significant selection of new, recent and rarely seen works from the State Art Collection.

I AM brings together over 60 works by First Nations artists from across Australia and centres on personal and shared stories that elevate Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives on the world and our place in it.

I AM reflects the dynamism of Aboriginal art, from deeply rooted traditions to bold contemporary expression.

Select highlights include paintings by Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori and Emily Kam Kngwarrey that depict the rhythms of Country; bark paintings by Wandjuk Marika that recount creation stories; a major glass installation by Yhonnie Scarce addressing the history of atomic testing in Australia; and portraits and mental maps by Julie Dowling, Dianne Jones, Gordon Bennett and Dallas Fletcher.

"I AM is an exhibition about identity and personhood. How we know ourselves, how we make sense of the world around us, and how we navigate the two is the overarching theme of the show," said curator of Indigenous Art at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Carly Lane.

"Person-centred, the exhibition brings together the art of many expressive, inquiring minds. In a way, these works are an imprint, an echo, and a silhouette of the artist."

Themes woven into the exhibition include connection to Country, culture, history and lived experience.

It features artists from regions across Australia, including the South-West, the Kimberley, Arnhem Land, the Tiwi Islands, and the Western Desert region.

Western Australian artists are strongly represented, including 11 Noongar artists.

Linocut prints and etchings by Laurel Nannup, creator of the iconic First Contact sculpture at Elizabeth Quay, will feature in the exhibition alongside new acquisitions by Bella Kelly and Christopher Pease, whose works engage with Noongar Country through distinct themes and visual approaches.

Artworks by WA artists acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the AGWA Foundation's $1.5 million Stimulus Package, are also included. This package provided direct support to WA artists.

AGWA director Colin Walker said the gallery strove to support not only WA artists represented in the collection but independent artists and artists in remote communities struggling during COVID-19.

"Our goal at the time was to support WA artists represented in the Collection, as well as independent artists and artists in remote communities struggling during COVID-19. In total more than 400 Western Australian artists directly benefited from the initiative," he said.

"Now I'm happy to say that we have created a richer and more robust State Art Collection for our AGWA visitors."

I AM will run for 18 months, with two major rotations introducing new works in August 2026 and again in early 2027, ensuring the exhibition continues to evolve and offer fresh perspectives.

"This exhibition is an invitation to witness the personal and shared stories that shape Aboriginal identity and personhood," said Lane.

"It is also a moment to turn inward and meet oneself. This begins with I AM."

I AM opens on Saturday, 28 February at AGWA.

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