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Summer in Canberra is set to begin with a powerful new chapter in Australian art.
The National Gallery of Australia is opening its much-anticipated National Indigenous Art Triennial, After the Rain, on December 6, 2025 and running through to April 26, 2026.
The exhibition, led by artistic director Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku-Yalanji man Tony Albert, captures rebirth and new beginnings.
‘I began thinking about the role of rain in our cultural and ecological systems; its ability to cleanse, replenish and reset. Across many First Nations communities, rain is connected to transformation, healing and renewal. These cycles mirror the resilience of our people. We endure, we adapt, we regenerate.’
Now in its fifth iteration, the Triennial gathers some of the most exciting established and emerging First Nations artists working today.
But After the Rain marks a notable shift. Rather than assembling dozens of smaller works, Tony has commissioned 10 ambitious, multi-disciplinary installations. The result is an exhibition designed to be felt — physically, emotionally, and communally.
‘The selection happened organically, through years of relationships, ongoing conversations, and paying close attention to who is pushing boundaries in meaningful ways,’ explains Tony. ‘I wanted the exhibition to be intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and geographically broad. Something very reflective of the vibrancy of First Nations practice today.’
What unites the artists in the exhibition is their clarity of purpose: ‘They are storytellers who aren’t afraid to experiment, take risks and challenge dominant narratives.’
The line-up includes Alair Pambegan, Aretha Brown, Blaklash, Dylan Mooney, Hermannsburg Potters, Itja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre, Vincent Namatjira, Jimmy John Thaiday, Naminapu Maymuru-White, Thea Anamara Perkins, Yarrenyty Arltere Artists, Grace Kemarre Robinya, and Warraba Weatherall.
While one installation sees the recreation of Albert Namatjira’s house (to scale) made from stained glass, each space will be immersive and include the most seminal work from each artist in their careers.
Together, these installations speak to memory and future-making, community, sovereignty and resistance; from ceramic traditions to experimental digital forms, ancestral stories to political portraiture.
‘The exhibition acknowledges those who paved the way, the aunties, uncles, activists, artists, thinkers, while also championing those who are carrying that torch forward today,’ says Tony.
‘Intergenerational exchange is one of the most powerful forces in our culture. Our elders hold knowledge systems that anchor us, while younger artists are imagining new futures with incredible energy and vision. Bringing them together creates a dynamic space where learning flows both ways.’
After the Rain is an invitation to reflect, to feel and to ‘imagine what renewed futures might look like,’ says Tony. ‘If people walk away changed, even subtly, then we’ve done our job.’
See the 5th National Indigenous Art Triennial: After the Rain for free at the National Gallery in Kamberri/Canberra from December 6, 2025 – April 26, 2026.
