Denver Art Museum Announces Major Exhibition of Australian Indigenous Art
The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is proud to present a landmark exhibition that marks one of the most ambitious presentations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art ever shown in North America. Titled The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art, the exhibition will be on view at the museum from April 19 through July 26, 2026 and is the second stop on a major international tour organized in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
A Global Cultural Collaboration
This exhibition is the result of a unique cultural partnership between some of the world’s leading art institutions. After premiering at the National Gallery of Art, The Stars We Do Not See travels to Denver, bringing a sweeping cross‑section of Indigenous Australian artistic expression to audiences who may be encountering these works for the first time. It’s the largest exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art ever presented in North America and showcases the rich visual and cultural heritage of Australia’s First Nations people.
More Than 130 Artists, Nearly 150 Works
DAM’s presentation features over 130 artists and 142 works drawn from the incomparable NGV collection. The artworks span from the late 19th century to the present and include masterpieces that have rarely or never before left Australia. Visitors can explore a remarkable range of materials and forms — from traditional ochre bark paintings and conceptual desert map works to contemporary experimental weavings, neon pieces, video installations, photography, and sound art.
Among the highlights:
Monumental canvases, such as Emily Kam Kngwarray’s Anwerlarr Anganenty (Big Yam Dreaming) — a powerful visual map of land and life — renowned for its scale and cultural resonance.
New‑media works by artists who bridge tradition and innovation, including sound installations and video art that both honor cultural roots and expand how Indigenous art is presented globally.
Pieces influenced by the philosophy of Country and Dreaming — foundational concepts in many Aboriginal cultures describing creation law, land, ancestry, and spiritual connections.
The exhibition takes its name from the late Yolŋu artist Gulumbu Yunupiŋu, whose work used star imagery — visible and invisible — to speak about stories, space, and ancestral knowledge.
Curatorial Vision and Educational Engagement
Curated by Myles Russell‑Cook, Artistic Director and CEO of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and former senior curator at NGV, the exhibition has been designed to resonate with North American audiences while honoring the distinct cultural frameworks of its makers. At DAM, curators including John P. Lukavic — the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts — will contextualize the works for visitors and provide interpretation that bridges Indigenous Australian perspectives with broader conversations around identity, land, and artistic expression.
The museum also aims to make deep cultural ideas accessible to learners of all ages with hands‑on, minds‑on experiences and interpretive tools that help demystify artistic forms that might initially read as abstract to Western viewers.
Community and Sponsorship
Support for the exhibition comes from multiple sources, including Bank of America’s North America Tour Sponsorship, as well as donors to DAM’s Annual Fund and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). The show at DAM is part of a broader tour that will continue to the Portland Art Museum (Oregon) and the Peabody Essex Museum (Massachusetts) through 2027.
Why It Matters
The Stars We Do Not See is more than an art survey — it is an invitation to experience the deep continuity, cultural resilience, and artistic innovation of Indigenous Australian cultures that span thousands of years. By presenting this rich global tradition within Denver’s vibrant cultural landscape, DAM fosters dialogue, understanding, and appreciation for Indigenous arts beyond traditional geographic and historical boundaries.