The annual Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) is set to celebrate its 10th Anniversary from August 5 to 7 at the Darwin Convention Centre, Northern Territory.
DAAF was launched in 2007 by Apolline Kohen, the then Director of Maningrida Art and Culture as a platform to promote the artwork of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centres and to raise revenue for remote communities. The fair has grown from including 16 to 60 art centres that present thousands of Indigenous artists and their work.
This year there will be an array of works on show and for sale including: paintings on canvas, bark paintings, works on paper, photography, carved wood sculpture, fibre weaving, textiles and more. Artist run demonstrations, workshops and spectacular traditional dance performances will also be a highlight and memorable Indigenous cultural experience throughout the three-day event.
To mark a decade of success, ‘DAAF Runway Project’ will launch the Fair’s first fashion show that combines Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contemporary fine art with textile design. To showcase the evolving new film scene in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, a special Indigenous film festival will be presented in conjunction with Darwin’s iconic Deckchair Cinema.
Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation (DAAFF) chair, Franchesca Cubillo says, “This year we’re giving visitors more exposure to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art through a range of traditional and new art forms, showcasing an impressive collection from over 60 Art Centres and ensuring their work is being seen across the nation.”
Darwin Convention Centre
5 to 7 August, 2016
Northern Territory
Molly Miller and Dallas Smyth from Warakuna WA with their Tjanpi works
Photograph: Rhett Hammerton