Revealed, Western Australia’s largest annual Aboriginal art exhibition and Art Market, heralds a new era as AACHWA prepares to deliver the program in partnership with Fremantle Arts Centre.

Known for championing new and emerging First Nations artists, in 2024 there are 42 artists featured in Revealed for the first time – the highest number of emerging artists that have featured in the exhibition since its inception.

Opening Thursday 9th May, the Revealed exhibition features a diversity of practice and mediums spanning painting, drawing, silkprint, textiles, photography, animation, glass sculpture and linocut. Each work shares unique narratives of connection to Country, culture and regional life. The exhibition features more than 150 artworks, with almost 70 artists representing 27 WA Aboriginal art centres, plus 12 independent artists.

For the first time since its inception in 2008, the state-wide Aboriginal art showcase will be in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hands, as the Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub of Western Australia (AACHWA) takes the reins for 2024.

AACHWA CEO Chad Creighton said AACHWA’s leadership ushers in a new era of self-determination for Revealed. “As an Aboriginal-led and governed body, AACHWA provides a genuine and deeply rooted perspective on the Aboriginal art scene across Western Australia,” Mr Creighton said. “We work all year round with Aboriginal art centres across the State, and by working closely with artists to reflect their aspirations and needs, we hope this year’s Revealed can increase its impact for the sector.
“AACHWA’s approach to Revealed reflects our unwavering commitment to art creation, cultural strength, best practice, and the wellbeing of Aboriginal artists.”

The exhibition and hugely popular Revealed Art Market are the best place to discover and invest in works by the rising stars of the Aboriginal arts scene, with the 2024 market returning to the Fremantle Arts Centre’s front lawn on Saturday, 11 May. The market provides an ethical, direct avenue for purchasing art by WA Aboriginal artists, all in one place.

This year there are 30 stalls selling original First Nations artworks including painting, textiles, jewellery, ceramics and carved artefacts and merchandise at a range of price points, offering something for every art lover or budding collector.

City of Fremantle Director of Creative Arts and Community Pete Stone said Revealed was a highlight in the Western Australian arts calendar. “Revealed is an opportunity for the community to immerse themselves in a rich and layered showcase of Indigenous art and listen to the many First Nations stories that shape Western Australia,” Mr Stone said. “Since its establishment, Revealed has been pivotal in championing new and emerging Aboriginal artists from across Western Australia.

“The Fremantle Arts Centre is proud to have been involved in this development for many years and looks forward to celebrating another extraordinary collection of First Nations art in 2024 as the Exhibition Partner.”

Darryl Dempster, an independent artist who has previously exhibited work as part of Revealed, has been selected to present a spotlight exhibition at the Fremantle Arts Centre. An emerging, non-verbal artist hailing from Esperance, Dempster uses a raw, joyful, and free-spirited style of painting to express his thoughts. His first solo exhibition includes mediums of textile and painting and will sit alongside the wider Revealed exhibition.

Artists participating in Revealed were selected from a panel of industry experts including Zali Morgan, a Wilman, Ballardong and Whadjuk Noongar artist and AGWA Assistant Curator; Stephen Gilchrist, a Yamatji writer, curator and Senior UWA Lecturer of Indigenous Studies; JD Penangke, a Whadjuk, Ballardong and Eastern Arrente mural artist; and Michael Bonner, a Yanyuwa and Jingili curator and researcher.

The judging panel paid particular attention to the techniques being applied by artists and the relevance of these techniques to the local area.

The opening night for Revealed 2024 is on Thursday, 9 May with Revealed Art Market returning to the front lawn of the Fremantle Arts Centre on Saturday, 11 May from 10am – 5pm.

Revealed is supported by the WA State Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries; and the Australian Government through the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program.

Image: Roslyn Padoon, My Mother Country, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 120 x 60 cm, image courtesy of the artist and Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency.