OPENING NIGHT: Clay on Country | Textiles of the Janet Holmes à Court Collection

Join us for the Exhibition OPENING NIGHT of Clay on Country and Textiles of the Janet Holmes à Court Collection

OPENING NIGHT: FRIDAY 6 February 2026 | 6-8PM
EXHIBITION DATES: 7 February - 5 April 2026

Artback NT Presents
Clay on Country
Ceramics from the Central Desert

Showcasing the passion for ceramic practice in the central desert region Clay on Country is a diverse and eclectic survey that includes 32 artists and collectives. Some are established ceramic artists, some are reconnecting with the medium after a hiatus, others are incorporating clay into their practice for the first time. All have produced accomplished, insightful, and contemporary works that reflect the culturally and historically rich and complex region where they live and work.

The survey was developed by Artback NT to coincide with Apmere Mparntwe, the 16th Australian Ceramics Triennale held in Alice Springs in 2022.  The varied works in Clay on Country reflect ancestral stories, contemporary experiences and settler histories alongside the joys and challenges of making with clay, the push and pull of this most tactile of materials.

Clay on Country was curated by Jo Foster and Neridah Stockley and is being proudly toured by Artback NT, with the support of Creative Australia, and Visions of Australia.

Image detail credit: Claire Freer, Broken Ground, 2021

Textiles of the Janet Holmes à Court Collection
Curated by Briony Bray

CURATOR TALK: 10am-11pm, 7 February 2026
RSVP: https://bit.ly/4t1PTwn

The Janet Holmes à Court Collection features thousands of artworks from artists across Australia, with a strong focus on Indigenous works. Internationally renowned, this Collection is shared through loans, publications, and exhibitions.

 This exhibition features a curated selection of textile artworks from the Collection, presenting natural fibre art, silk screen-printed works, and stitched hangings. 

Image detail credit: Nora Holland, Minyma Kutjarra, 2007, dyed felted merino wool and hessian, Janet Holmes à Court Collection

Please note that photographs and footage will be taken throughout the evening. These will be used by the Gallery for publicity and reporting in our publications, on our website and in social media. Young people aged under 18 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.