Pre-selection for this year’s Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award took place a couple of weeks ago and I really enjoyed the process. Probably I should introduce myself at this point.

A couple of months ago I started at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory as Senior Curator for Aboriginal Art and Material Culture. Some would think what is a German doing in Darwin curating Aboriginal art exhibitions? Well, I have a long running love affair with Australia and my interests in art history and anthropology directed my post-graduate studies early on. I developed a strong interest in Aboriginal art and aesthetic with a focus on sculpture, fibre art and fashion.

I cherished the opportunity to have worked for Maningrida Arts and Culture in Central Arnhem Land, as it gave me a great insight into the work of artists and art centres in remote communities.

As you can see from the photo, all the pre-selection panel members are hard at work discussing quality and merits of each of the 327 entries. It was a very difficult process to choose the best works but each of the panel members brought great expertise and knowledge to the table and made the process very enjoyable.

Panel members Bruce Tindale, Manager of the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, and Cath Bowdler, artist, curator, writer and lecturer have wide-ranging experience in working with and exhibiting Aboriginal artists from the NT and other regions of Australia.

Also this year the three judges were part of the pre-selection panel, namely Judith Ryan, Senior Curator of Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, and renowned Indigenous artists Danie Mellor and Nici Cumpston. Having the perspectives of practising artists brought into the decision making was a great asset.

All agreed it will be a stunning show and the judges already agreed that the outstanding quality of works chosen will make their job very difficult indeed.

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