Thursday, 25 June 2015
Wintjiri Arts & Museum, dedicated entirely to showcasing and supporting local Indigenous art, was officially opened today at Ayers Rock Resort by Indigenous Land Corporation Chairperson Dr Dawn Casey.
Wintjiri, meaning ‘a view to the horizon’ in Pitjantjatjara (one of the languages spoken by local Anangu), is aptly named with the new Wintjiri Arts & Museum space boasting unobstructed views of Uluru.
Voyages Chief Executive Officer Andrew Williams said, “The Museum concept originated from a desire to create a space dedicated entirely to showcasing and supporting local Indigenous art, whilst further enhancing the guest experience and understanding of local Anangu culture.”
Wintjiri Arts & Museum will now house the Resort’s successful artist in residence program where artists from the central desert region create art-in-situ, allowing them to interact with guests, as well as exhibit and sell their works.
Indigenous Land Corporation Chairperson Dr Dawn Casey said, “The new Wintjiri Arts & Museum provides a great platform to showcase the unique works of local artists from the Pitjantjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra lands. We want this new space to be an inviting and comfortable place for local artists from these communities to exhibit and sell their work.”
The retail area of Wintjiri offers Anangu art-inspired gifts together with bush medicine, soaps and cosmetics. It also features a timeline of the history of tourism at Uluru and a display to educate guests about the local flora & fauna as well as the geology of the Red Centre.
“Wintjiri will enhance our guest experience by offering a unique opportunity to meet and watch talented local artists at work providing meaningful connections with Indigenous art and enhancing their understanding of Indigenous culture,” Andrew added.
Wintjiri joins three other retail art galleries at the Resort, where a range of Central Australian Indigenous art can be viewed and purchased.
Artwork by Judi Okai
