Saltwater Freshwater Arts 2023

Exhibition dates 7 December 2023 - 27 January 2024

Aboriginal Art Award and Contemporary Cultural Objects

A showcase of Aboriginal art and contemporary cultural objects from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island artists who reside in the Worimi, Biripi, Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr nations.

The biennial art award and contemporary cultural objects exhibition began in 2017. The exhibition is full of vibrant, colourful works with strong depictions of Indigenous values.

Saltwater Freshwater Arts 2023 is a touring exhibition combining the Saltwater Freshwater Aboriginal Art Award and contemporary cultural objects exhibition. The exhibition started its journey on Gadigal land in Sydney, opening at Boomalli Aboriginal Art Gallery with an eclectic and diverse range of artwork and cultural objects. This year’s exhibition is curated by proud Wiradjuri woman Catherine Croll. An artist, curator, writer and lecturer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies at TAFE NSW and Founding Director of Cultural Partnerships Australia, Catherine has initiated and managed large international touring exhibitions and cultural exchange programs throughout the Asia Pacific.

“I’m delighted by the diversity of artwork and the breadth of the stories submitted. Artists from across the Saltwater Freshwater footprint have created pieces which reflect their personal journeys, connection to country, language, culture and family. Many of the works specifically reference the colour of the artist’s saltwater/freshwater country and their connections to the ancestral knowledge and lore passed down over millennia.” Catherine Croll

The Saltwater Freshwater Arts 2023 touring exhibition is proudly funded by the NSW Government through Create NSW.