Boorloo Contemporary celebrates First Nations artists

Boorloo Contemporary is a groundbreaking initiative launching as part of the 2025 Perth Festival. Shaped by a group of First Nations curators and arts leaders, this new commissioning and development stream celebrates the rich traditions of Aboriginal and First Nations artists while fostering genre-defying and cutting-edge art works that look to the future. 

Boorloo Contemporary’s inaugural program includes an incredible lineup of solo exhibitions and experiences running from February-April 2025. 

Power Station Commission, 7 Feb – 2 Mar

The initiative kicks off with a stunning illuminated commission at the historic East Perth Power Station. Once a symbol of industry, the site is a new festival precinct and will be animated after dark with artwork by local Noongar artists Allan Yarran, Ilona McGuire and Daniel Hansen. Yarran’s psychedelic landscapes, McGuire’s evocative archival imagery and Hansen’s poetic text will reflect on the land, kinship and identity of the Noongar people.

Alice Guiness, Burndud , acrylic on canvas

Burndud Ground, Alice Guinness

John Curtin Gallery, Fri 7 Feb – Sun 20 Apr

Alice Guinness, a senior Yindjibarndi artist, shares her deeply personal connection to the Burndud, an important site for her people. At John Curtin Gallery, her iconic Burndud paintings will be brought to life through neon sculptures and immersive media installations. Visitors will be able to see, hear and feel Yindjibarndi Ngurra (Country) through vibrations of light and sound that teach the Burndud song cycle of birds, animals, plants, hills, water places, the stars and the moon. Guinness’ bold colours and symbolic patterns represent the rhythms and movements of Ceremony, connecting visitors to the land and its stories. 

Stolen Wages, Mervyn Street

Fremantle Arts Centre, Fri 7 Feb – Sun 20 Apr

Fremantle Arts Centre presents the first solo institutional exhibition of Gooniyandi Elder, artist and activist Mervyn Street from 7 Feb – 20 Apr. This powerful collection of works celebrates his Kimberley heritage, including new paintings that continue his crusade for justice following his historic legal battle for stolen wages. Visitors can explore Street’s dynamic representation of Kimberley Country, its iconic cattle musters and the struggles and triumphs of his family.

Killa: Pindan to Plate.

Killa: Pindan to Plate

Fri 14 – Sun 16 Feb 6.30pm
Thu 20 – Sun 23 Feb 6.30pm

The program also features the utterly unique culinary and cultural experience Killa: Pindan to Plate, an unforgettable ‘nose-to-tail’ dining experience at Rechitable Hall. It explores how introduced species like the ‘killa’ – Kimberley cattle – have become part of traditional diets. Over eight courses of smokey pindan beef, saltwater treats and honey-driven desserts designed by head chef of Double Rainbow kitchen, Navarre Top, guests will engage with Aboriginal food cultures, sustainability and stories. This immersive dinner is complemented by a monumental video installation, narrating the journey of Kimberley cattle and the cultural practices tied to the land.

Boorloo Contemporary represents a bold new direction for Perth Festival, showcasing Aboriginal and First Nations voices that offer fresh perspectives on the future of the arts. 

The Boorloo Contemporary Curatorium is made up of Clothilde Bullen, Chad Creighton, Glenn Iseger Pilkington, Yabini Kickett, Chloe Ogilvie.

For more information, visit perthfestival.com.au.