Exhibition Launch | Ntaria and beyond, the Hermannsburg School of Art

Join Benalla Art Gallery for the launch of Ntaria and beyond, the Hermannsburg School of Art.

Ntaria is the home of the Western Arrernte people in the Northern Territory and includes Hermannsburg, a small town on the banks of the Finke River and at the foot of Mount Hermannsburg, 130 kilometres west of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). The landscape features rugged mountains, deep gorges and dry plains, subject to harsh droughts and high temperatures. Red desert, stunted trees and spinifex are flanked by the MacDonnell, Krichauff and Gosse ranges.

The Hermannsburg School of Art developed in the 1930s as a distinctive style characterised by watercolours painted in traditional European techniques, depicting the striking landscape and homeland of the Arrente people. Its most famous painter, and founder, was Albert Namatjira. The new technique of realistic watercolour painting that Albert adopted was different from the iconographic or abstract approaches used by other Arrernte artists of the time. His success had a profound influence on his Community and descendants, many of whom continue to paint in watercolour.

This exhibition introduces six new Ntaria watercolours that have come into the Benalla Art Gallery Collection; a generous gift by Peter and Wendy Fishley. Complementing these acquisitions are existing Ntaria works from the Collection and loans from Shepparton Art Museum.

This is a free event.