Nyoongar man Maitland Hill has won the 2019 Bindjareb Acquisitive Art award for his piece Kaartdjin Nyoongar Maarman - 'Wise Men'.
Born in the country Wheatbelt town of Pingelly, Hill spent his youth growing up in Armadale.
Hill said his masterpiece was dedicated to his rich culture and history.
"Kaya Wanjoo Noonuk Nyoongar Boodja - 'Hello welcome everyone to our country'," he said.
"I created this art piece as symbolic recognition of our cultural authenticity, as Nyoongar people of this land.
"Australia is the only Commonwealth country that does not have a treaty with the traditional owners.
"This art is my visual representation and tribute to Nyoongar culture and history."
The $500 highly commended for the Bindjareb Art Award was presented to Dushong Rohin Kickett for his artwork titled Killing in the Name of Colonisation.
Established in 2013 in partnership between the City of Mandurah, the Bindjareb NAIDOC committee and the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, the Bindjareb Acquisitive Art award is a $10,000 acquisitive award.
Additionally, the exhibition also awards a $500 People's Choice award with voting slips for the public's favourite artworks available in front of the gallery.
Gallery curator Gary Aitken said the display contributed to Mandurah's growing indigenous art collection.
"We continue to see the highest quality of contemporary works created by talented established and emerging indigenous artists from the South West Region as part of the Bindjareb Art Award," he said.
"The artists through their artworks communicate the stories of the past and present, stories of a sixty thousand year old culture and a voice for political change within this great land.
"This is one of the strongest turnouts of the history of the award, with some of the most authentic pieces to be submitted from our Indigenous community."
Selected exhibiting artists in the display include Karrie-Anne Kearing Salmon, Rohin Kickett, Esther McDowell (Yabini Kickett), Daniel McHenry, Peta Ugle (Meena), Brett Nannup, Corey Ugle (Baker), Maitland Hill, Sharyn Egan, Ben Pushman, Lorraine Woods, Lance Chadd (Tjyllyungoo), Laurel Nannup and Gloria Kearing.
Previous recipients of the Bindjareb Art Award are also exhibiting in the foyer gallery of MPAC including:
- 2013 winner Lance Chadd's (Tjyllyungoo) Ngalang Koort Wirin Boodja
- 2014 winner Sandra Hill's Broken Shield
- 2015 winner Laurel Nannup's Big Mum Little Mum
- 2016 winner Fiona Reidy's A Journey with our Ancestors
- 2017 winner Sharyn Egan's Flora and Fauna in Terra Nullius
The Bindjareb Art awards are on display in the Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery until July 21 with voting open for the People's Choice award until then.
