2025 Telstra NATSIAA Winners Announced

Gaypalani Waṉambi from Yirrkala, Arnhem Land, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Telstra Art Award worth $100,000 for her monumental etched metal work Burwu, blossom (2025).

At nearly 3 metres high, the installation comprises etched steel panels that create an almost kinetic viewing experience. The silvery surfaces, marked with intricate engravings depicting the epic journeys of Wuyal, the Ancestral honey hunter, appear to shift and shimmer as gallery lighting catches the metallic surfaces, creating an illusion of movement that brings the ancient narratives to life.

“This is an exceptional work that visually and materially explores different relationships to and understandings of Country,” the judges noted. “Each time the viewer moves, the work responds accordingly, revealing and concealing the undulations and intangible lifeforces of Country.”

Waṉambi’s innovative use of recycled road signs as her canvas adds conceptual depth to the work, transforming colonial infrastructure into a medium for traditional storytelling. The artist, eldest daughter of renowned artist Wukun Waṉambi (1962–2022), began creating work under her own name with her father’s blessing before his sudden death in 2022.

Owen Yalandja from Maningrida claimed the $15,000 Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award for Ngalkodjek Yawkyawk2025, a sculpture with extraordinary technical precision and depth. The work depicts a yawkyawk (mermaid spirit) and showcases Yalandja’s mastery of traditional materials – bridal tree, kurrajong, and bamboo – combined with ochre and fixative. Every element, from the intricate V-shaped scale patterns covering the figure’s body to the carefully rendered fins and flowing hair, demonstrates exceptional craftsmanship. The work’s streamlined form captures both the physical presence and spiritual essence of the ancestral being.

Yalandja, a senior member of the Dankorlo clan and custodian of an important yawkyawk site, learned carving from his father, Crusoe Kuningbal (1922–1984). His distinctive style, developed over decades, represents a significant evolution from his father’s dotted patterns to his own signature V-shaped markings.

This year’s awards notably featured significant participation from female artists, with 42 of the 71 finalist works created by women. The remaining category winners included established artists Iluwanti Ken (General Painting), Lucy Yarawanga (Bark Painting), Naomi Hobson (Work on Paper), and Jahkarli Felicitas Romanis (Multimedia), alongside emerging artist Sonia Gurrpulan Guyula.

The awards, now in their 42nd year, continue to serve as both cultural celebration and economic catalyst for Indigenous artists. The 71 finalists were selected from 216 entries across Australia, representing the finest contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art created in the past year.

Adam Worrall, MAGNT Director, emphasized the cultural significance: “The artworks shared through Telstra NATSIAA provide inspiration that captivates audiences both near and afar and showcases the tremendous diversity and depth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artistic and cultural expression found across Australia.”

The judging panel, comprising Stephen Gilchrist, Gail Mabo, and Brian Martin, noted the exhibition’s demonstration of “intergenerational connections that reveal a profound cultural duty to retell ancient stories in new ways.”

The awards ceremony took place at MAGNT in Darwin, with principal partner Telstra continuing its 34-year association with the program. The exhibition runs until January 26, 2026, providing extended opportunity for public engagement with these significant works. The awards have historically served as career catalysts for many participants, with previous winners achieving substantial recognition in both national and international art markets. Waṉambi’s work is already held in collections including MAGNT, Parliament House Canberra, and Powerhouse Sydney, while Yalandja’s sculptures feature in major international collections and have been exhibited at venues including the Venice Biennale.