Often called the richest artwork awards of its type, the 2025 Telstra Nationwide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artwork Award shines an essential highlight on the expertise and cultural power of First Nations artists throughout the nation.
The winner of this yr’s prestigious titular award is Gaypalani Wanambi from Yirrkala, Arnhem Land for her monumental etched steel work, Burwu, blossom — taking residence $100,000.
The enormous three-square-metre steel work depicts the epic tune poetry story of Wuyal (the Ancestral honey hunter of her Marrakulu clan) delicately engraved onto the silvery again of 15 discarded street indicators. Wuyal was the primary man to search for a homeland for the Marrakulu individuals.
The judges dubbed it an ‘distinctive work that visually and materially explores completely different relationships to and understandings of Nation.’
Yolŋu artist Gaypalani Wanambi is following within the footsteps of her late father, acclaimed artist Mr W. Wanambi, who she assisted rising up. He was additionally a three-time winner of varied NATSIAA awards.
The awards additionally celebrated six different profitable works from the shortlist of 71 finalists, with every winner taking residence $15,000.
Jahkarli Felicitas Romanis — a Melbourne-based artist and Monash College lecturer of Pitta Pitta descent — utilised Google Earth mapping instruments to create distorted photos of Pitta Pitta Nation for her diptych, which gained the Telstra Multimedia Award.
In the meantime, a ravishing weaving that includes bush dyed fibres by 27-year-old Sonia Gurrpulan Guyula took residence the Telstra Rising Artist Award.
All of the profitable items and the finalist’s works are actually displaying in a exhibition at Museum and Artwork Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), on till January 26 2026.
Discover out extra right here.
Telstra Artwork AwardBurwu, blossom by Gaypalani Waṉambi
Telstra Basic Portray AwardWalawuru Tjurkpa (Eagle story) by Iluwanti Ken
Telstra Bark Portray AwardBawáliba & Ngalyod by Lucy Yarawanga
Telstra Work On Paper AwardPresent & Past by Naomi Hobson
Telstra Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D AwardNgalkodjek Yawkyawk by Owen Yalandja
Telstra Multimedia AwardPitta Pitta (Extracted) and Pitta Pitta (Google’s Gaze) by Jahkarli Felicitas Romanis
Telstra Rising Artist AwardMat by Sonia Gurrpulan Guyula
