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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Iwantja Rock 'n' Roll

July 7 – Aug 20, 2022
5 9th Ave, New York, NY 10014, United States

“It’s mainly about showing something about people this land needs to know about, and giving something back to this country,” says Vincent Namatjira. “That’s why I paint people.” The first indigenous artist to win the Archibald Prize (in 2020), Namatjira’s work will stand alongside fellow Aboriginal artists Kaylene Whiskey and Tiger Yaltangki. All three hail from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of South Australia and are members of the Indulkana Community. Their works—both painting and video—honor the artists’ Anangu culture while simultaneously offering commentary on colonial history, pop idols, and contemporary life. “Iwantja Rock n Roll”—Namatjira, Whiskey, and Yaltangki’s first gallery exhibition in New York City—signals the strength of the contemporary art movement in Australia’s Indigenous communities. —Nyla Gilstrap