3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial: Defying Empire

Defying Empire brings the works of 30 contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the country into the national spotlight.

The 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial at the National Gallery commemorates the 50th anniversary of 1967 Referendum that recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australians for the first time. It explores the ongoing resilience of Australia’s Indigenous people since first contact, through to the historical fight for recognition and ongoing activism in the present day.

Be moved by powerful art that touches on the issues of identity, racism, displacement, country, nuclear testing, sovereignty and the stolen generations through many media: painting on canvas and bark, weaving and sculpture, new media, prints, photography, metalwork and glasswork.

This ground breaking show is the largest survey yet at the National Gallery and it highlights the continued excellence and diversity of Indigenous practice today.

Archived Site

The original website for this exhibition was published in 2017 and has been archived for research purposes.