Boomalli Aboriginal Artists

An explosion of pride and public confidence followed the launch of a number of community organisations in Redfern in the 1970s. It was against this backdrop that a group of Aboriginal artists from diverse backgrounds formed a cooperative in 1987 called Boomalli - meaning 'to strike, to make a mark, to fight back, to light up,' in the languages of the Kamilaroi, Wiradjuri and Bundjalung peoples of New South Wales. As a body of work, the art of Boomalli members (which covers a variety of media) challenges common misconceptions about urban-based Aboriginal art and culture and celebrates the diversity of Indigenous artistic expression in Australia today. A measure of Boomalli's success lies in the achievements of its long-term members, some of whom have received international acclaim for their work. A number of the artists are represented in Australia's national collections and have exhibited throughout the country and overseas.