Cutting straight to the chase the winner of the 2024 Telstra Art Award is Noli Rictor for his extraordinary painting Kamanti. 

The painting on linen, using mostly reds and blues, which overlay each other to pulses with energy while optically obfuscating the under layers, is a representation of Kamanti, situated in the north of traditional Spinifex Lands.” His expert use of colour and composition creates shimmering fields, carving the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa (Two Men Creation Line) into the layered landscape. At times the paint dances on the canvas’ surface; disrupting the eyes’ ability to focus, giving the work a truly mesmerising appeal from its painterly merits” say the 2024 NATSIAA jury: Keith Munro, Putuparri, Tom Lawford and Katina Davidson.

Significant of the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa (Two Men Creation Line), the site is home to an epic narrative that follows the journey of a father and son water serpent across the Spinifex Lands on ceremonial business.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Noli Rictor as the recipient of the Telstra Award. Noli’s work is a testament to his exceptional talent and deep connection to the Spinifex Lands. His depiction of the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa at Kamanti offers a powerful glimpse into his heritage, beautifully illustrating the Ancestral narratives that shape his Country and community” says Adam Worrall, Director, Museum and Art Galley of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).

The winner of the Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award (Sponsored by Telstra) is Obed Namirrkki, and if the name sounds familiar, and his artwork is this good, it comes as no surprise to learn he is the son of the incredible Maningrida artist Ivan Namirrkki (and grandson of Peter Marralwanga). “I stared working with my father, helping my father, after that I found my own style to work on my own. We teach down the line, the line coming from my father, all the way from the ocean” says Obed. As an emerging artist Obed, his Award winning piece tells the story of his people’s passage on Country from the ocean, to sands, to earth using fine rarrking on a large lorrkon (hollow log) “Our story from the beginning, white or black we endure, it’s all there from us, one beginning from us, from our ancestors, from the milky way” says Obed.

“The contrasting bands of pitch black with un-uniformed white ochre dots are remarkable against the very finely and precise rarrk, painted predominantly in warm ochre reds, yellows and whites with moments of contrasting black. Just as the cultural story associated with this artwork is complex with many layers, the artist has managed to intertwine his own individual approach while honouring his family’s painting legacy in this impressive lorrkon.”

Of the 72 finalists, 60% are female and very well represented with Lydia Balbal winning the Telstra General Painting award for her work using acrylic and enamel on a car bonnet. “Keeping up with the Balbals has an undeniable presence in its painterly qualities, mapping the landscape of her Country…The playfulness in the title is held with a double-edged sword. It hints at tall poppy syndrome within tight-knit communities across Australia, no matter where they are situated, but allows the artist’s personality to shine through” say the jury.

The Telstra Work on Paper Award went to Shannon Brett for her savagely personal work, An Australian Landscape. Stopping at a favourite spot was a ritual Shannon had woven into her road trip to Cape York to work with artists. On her last trip however she was confronted with vile and confronting language and racism. She didn’t stop for another five kilometres, at which point she turned the car. “Its such special place and it was taken from me. I went back, I took the photo…being confronted by this was almost the last straw. I was overwhelmed, we need to talk about racism in Australia, this is so seriously warped, why his this happening they must have such hate in their hearts to produce this kind of message” says Shannon before smiling and pointing out that they have gotten the Nazi swastika backwards and have instead left the Buddhist symbol for peace. “Through this artwork, I want to reframe the way that we receive racism – I want those who do these cruel things to see the pain in themselves, to learn that this is not the way. I want to share with them that my message is one of respect for all First Nations people, to show everyone that we are still here living on our own sovereign lands as the true leaders of this place, as we always will be” says Shannon who wore an outfit of her own fabric and design proclaiming ‘F**k No’ to the Friday night awards ceremony.

Related: A ‘Current’ affair spotlighting First Nations artists

Natalie Davey won the Telstra Multimedia Award for River report 2024, pairing a painting and video to explore and confront climate change. Specifically, what it means to have flood remove large swathes of country at Fitzroy Crossing and change the map so significantly that sacred places are unrecognisable, though still there, still exuding power.  “The artwork is a map of when things were normal and I knew what Country was telling me to when that completely changed” says Natalie. “We had 150 meters of bank taken out, so it is a part of making sure we recognise what we have lost and continue telling stories whether about people or Country.

The Telstra Emerging Artist Award went to Josina Pumani for her strangely terrifying ceramic work Maralinga. Depicted as a ceramic vessel with raised marks signifying the event and repercussions, it is the contrast of a matt black outer with a red engine red interior, also matt that proclaims the British nuclear tests at Maralinga in the mid-1950s as evil. The aftermath that was so severe that seventy years later it continues to impact the Aṉangu people whose lives, lands and livelihoods were destroyed. “Maralinga hurt our lands and people and our story needs to be told … we think about it all the time. Why did this happen to us?” Asks Josina.

“This is living history. The word ‘safe’ should never be connected to ‘nuclear’. Mining of uranium is also destructive and damaging. Here, the story of Aboriginal people being left behind and exposed to the fall out is shared through new eyes” say the jury.

Winning the Telstra Bark Painting Award is Wurrandan Marawili for his work Rumbal, the body/the truth 2023 earth pigment on stringybark. Yolŋu sacred designs used on the body in ceremony were the first bark paintings to be collected were these body designs transferred to bark. After almost 100 years the artists of Buku-Larrŋgay have returned to this format.

“Just below the surface of the rarrk is an underpainted Lightning Snake, bringing important layers to the painting which are inherent to the clan design of Wurrandan Marawili’s people. The materiality of the work embodies a worldview of deep connection to place and Ancestors. The bark painting is a reflection of the body and wears the ochre of ceremony; an interchangeable surface of, from and with Country” say the judges.

Now in its 41st year, the 2024 Telstra NATSIAA features Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the nation, sharing incredible works reflecting the strength of cultures, responses to current affairs and unerring connections to Country.

Telstra NATSIAA is Australia’s longest running and most prestigious art award of its kind, presented on Larrakia Country (Darwin) by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) and Principal Partner, Telstra.

Next up: Book launch marks Tzannes’ significant Sydney legacy