Justina Willis, Country with Wildflowers, Acrylic on Canvas, 37cm x 60.5cm, 2025, Image courtesy of Yinjaa-Barni Art
Words by Mae Ganambarr
Across Australia, a new generation of First Nations artists is shaping the future of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Grounded in the knowledge of Elders, family and Country, these emerging voices honour cultural traditions while confidently exploring new ideas, mediums and ways of sharing story.
At the 20th Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, these artists stand alongside respected cultural leaders, demonstrating that the strength of First Nations art lies not only in its enduring history, but in the generations carrying those stories forward. Through painting, weaving, textiles and cultural objects, each artist offers a unique perspective—one that reflects the resilience of culture and the exciting future of First Nations creative practice.
Ursula Napangardi Marks
Warnayaka Art - Images courtesy of Art Centre
Ursula Napangardi Marks is one of a new generation of Warlpiri artists confidently expanding the possibilities of contemporary painting. Guided by Jukurrpa and mentored by senior artists in Lajamanu, her work draws on kurruwarri—the sacred ceremonial designs connected to ancestral stories—while exploring new visual approaches that remain deeply grounded in culture.
Her featured work (not pictured) tells the story of the Bush Potato Dreaming (Jukurrpa), celebrating the knowledge Warlpiri women have carried for generations. The painting reflects the seasonal signs that signal when bush potatoes are ready to harvest, the careful search for vines beneath the desert floor, and the collective act of gathering one of the Tanami Desert's essential food sources. Through her evolving practice, Ursula demonstrates how ancestral knowledge continues to inspire contemporary expression, proving that cultural traditions remain living, dynamic and ever evolving.
As artists like Ursula build upon the teachings of their Elders, they also remind us that cultural knowledge can take many forms. For Kokoberrin artist Ma Wanjibung, that knowledge is preserved not only through painting, but through the creation of cultural objects that continue to hold profound meaning today.
Wanjibung Edwards
UMI Arts - Images courtesy of Art Centre
Artist, cultural leader and advocate Wanjibung Edwards creates work that preserves and shares Kokoberrin cultural knowledge for future generations. As a respected Kokoberrin leader, his practice extends beyond artistic expression, exploring philosophy, stewardship and the enduring relationship between people, Country and cultural law.
His featured work centres on the sacred shark tooth knife—a cultural object that embodies responsibility, kinship and ancestral wisdom. Crafted from ironwood and carefully set with shark teeth, the knife is far more than a tool. Every cut follows strict cultural protocols governing how food is shared among family members, reflecting an inherited system of fairness and respect that has been passed down through countless generations.
Through this work, he demonstrates how cultural objects are living expressions of knowledge, connecting contemporary audiences with traditions that remain strong and relevant.
While his practice focuses on preserving cultural law, other emerging artists are exploring new creative mediums while remaining equally grounded in culture.
Justina Willis
Yinjaa-Barni Art - Images courtesy of Art Centre
Justina Willis is a Yindjibarndi artist from Roebourne, Western Australia, whose vibrant paintings celebrate the colours, landscapes and stories of Pilbara Country. Since beginning her artistic practice in 2006, she has developed a distinctive style of intricate brushwork, layered colour and fine dot painting that reflects her deep connection to Country.
Inspired by time spent on the Tablelands, Millstream and Green Pool with her family, Justina's work captures the beauty of Yindjibarndi Country while honouring the cultural knowledge and experiences that continue to shape her practice. Her featured painting reflects the richness of Pilbara Country, celebrating the landscapes, bush foods, waterways and cultural stories that have been passed down through generations.
Through vivid colour and meticulous detail, Justina shares her connection to a Country abundant with life—from the Tablelands and rivers to the nearby ocean, where fishing and time spent on Country continue to bring families together. Her work is a celebration of Yindjibarndi culture, reminding us that Country is not only a place, but a living source of identity, history and belonging.
Justina's paintings demonstrate how artists continue to honour ancestral knowledge while sharing deeply personal connections to Country. Her work reflects the enduring strength of culture, ensuring these stories continue to be experienced and celebrated by future generations.
Justina Willis, Country with Wildflowers, Acrylic on Canvas, 37cm x 60.5cm, 2025, Image courtesy of Yinjaa-Barni Art
Venetta Denham
Girringun Art Centre - Images courtesy of Art Centre
Emerging Girramay artist Venetta Denham works across weaving, painting and ceramics, drawing upon the teachings of her grandmother Daisy Denham and respected Elders Aunty Nancy Beeron and Theresa Beeron. Based in the Murray Upper region, her practice celebrates both cultural continuity and personal creativity.
Through beautifully woven Gundala baskets and contemporary artworks, Venetta honours traditional techniques while exploring new artistic possibilities. Since presenting her debut solo exhibition Indumni Creations in 2024, she has continued to share stories of Girramay Country through major exhibitions and art fairs, introducing new audiences to the strength and diversity of her culture.
Her practice demonstrates how knowledge shared across generations continues to grow through each artist who carries it forward.
The passing of knowledge between generations is equally central to the work of Antama Baker, whose artistic journey is grounded in learning directly from his family.
Antama Baker
Iwantja Arts - Images courtesy of Art Centre
Antama Baker, Ngura (Country), Acrylic on linen, 91cm x 122cm, 2025, image courtesy of Iwantja Arts
Antama Baker represents the next generation of artists carrying forward the stories of Yankunytjatjara Country. The son of senior Iwantja Arts artists Alec Baker and Angkuna Baker, Antama began painting at the art centre in 2024, working alongside his father in the men's studio where artistic knowledge is shared through observation, conversation and everyday practice.
His paintings depict the rock holes, trees and landscapes of Yankunytjatjara Country while reflecting the teachings passed down through his family.
"My father Alec Baker teaches me about our Country and also how to make paintings. We paint together in the Iwantja Arts studio. I like to make paintings about Yankunytjatjara Country, the rock-holes, trees, everything that is our Country."
For Antama, painting is not simply about creating artworks—it is about strengthening culture, learning responsibility and continuing the stories of Country through the next generation.
A Strong Future Built on Strong Foundations
Although each of these artists comes from a different Country, community and cultural tradition, they are connected by a shared commitment to carrying culture forward. Whether preserving ancestral knowledge, exploring new creative mediums or learning alongside family and Elders, their work demonstrates that First Nations cultures continue to grow, adapt and thrive.
As Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair celebrates 20 years, artists like Ursula Napangardi Marks, Ma Wanjibung, Justine Willis, Venetta Denham and Antama Baker remind us that the future of First Nations art is already here. These emerging voices are not only shaping the next chapter of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art—they are ensuring that culture remains strong, vibrant and deeply connected to Country for generations to come.