"My arts centre is my home away from home. Surrounded by family. We thrive on each other. I think that’s one of the reasons we keep going. That’s why we’re strong, as artists, because we help one another through." Melissa Sandy
Yinjaa-Barni Art began painting together at Roebourne’s Pilbara Aboriginal Church in 2004, before moving to the heritage-listed Dalgety House on the banks of the Harding River in 2007. A peaceful space where artists paint together, Yinjaa-Barni is home to cross-generational talent. Yindjibarndi elders and senior artists Maudie Jerrold and the late Mr Mack (1952 - 2019) were part of the inception of the region’s Aboriginal art movement and embody important cultural knowledge in their artwork.
Yinjaa-Barni artists have exhibited nationally and internationally and have won multiple awards between them, with high profile artists Mr Mack and Allery Sandy both nominated for one of the country’s most prestigious Indigenous art prizes, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, and works by Aileen Sandy, Maudie Jerrold and Mr Mack held by the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
For the senior members of the group, art is an important means of expressing and relaying love for their Country, their culture, and the flora of the region. They use this, along with storytelling, as a way of passing on their knowledge to the younger generations, who are rapidly gaining recognition as artists in their own right.
Yinjaa-Barni Art Centre would like to acknowledge and thank Rio Tinto for its continuous support over the past 10 years. Rio Tinto supports the centre and artists through funding and the annual Colours of our Country Exhibition.
