Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Bunyan Sivoro (left) receives an artwork from Ambassador for First Nations People of Australia, Mr Justin Mohamed (right), during opening of Yuendumu Doors art exhibition on 27th May, at the National Art Gallery, in Honiara.
Yuendumu Doors art exhibition opens in Honiara
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Bunyan Sivoro (left) receives an artwork from Ambassador for First Nations People of Australia, Mr Justin Mohamed (right), during opening of Yuendumu Doors art exhibition on 27th May, at the National Art Gallery, in Honiara.
Ambassador for First Nations People of Australia, Mr. Justin Mohamed (right) is explaining the Aboriginal artworks to PS of Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Bunyan Sivoro (left).
Some of the Aboriginal artworks exhibit at the National Art Gallery, in Honiara. This Yuendumu Doors art exhibition is free to the public and will run from May 27 to June 3, 2026.
The Yuendumu Doors art exhibition, showcasing significant cultural and artistic collections from Australia, officially opened on 27th May at the National Art Gallery in Honiara.
The exhibition is being delivered through a partnership between the Solomon Islands National Art Gallery, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Australia.
Open free to the public, the exhibition will run from May 27 to June 3, 2026, coinciding with Australia’s annual National Reconciliation Week, observed from May 27 to June 3 each year.
The exhibition dates commemorate two important milestones in Australia’s reconciliation journey with its First Nations peoples — the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The exhibition features prints of artworks painted by Warlpiri elders on doors at the Yuendumu community school in Central Australia more than 30 years ago.
These artworks represent the Warlpiri people’s first use of acrylic paint — a Western art medium, to portray their daily lives and dreaming stories, the Aboriginal belief system that explains the creation of the world, people’s connection to the land, and the laws that guide life.
Each painted door is considered a masterpiece reflecting Warlpiri knowledge, culture, and history.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the traditional custodians of Australia, with more than 65,000 years of continuous culture and longstanding connections with the Pacific, including Solomon Islands.
During the exhibition opening, Australia’s Ambassador for First Nations People, Mr Justin Mohamed, donated an artwork to the National Art Gallery. The artwork was received by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr Bunyan Sivoro.
The donated artwork will become part of the National Art Gallery collection.
Curator of the Solomon Islands National Art Gallery, Ms Julie Fakaia, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, welcomed the exhibition and highlighted its importance in celebrating the culture of Australia’s First Nations peoples.
She said the exhibition provides Solomon Islanders with an opportunity to learn about the culture of neighbouring countries – in this case Australia.
“We have many similarities between our cultures and the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“We also have Solomon Islands artworks displayed in museums and galleries in Australia, where Australians learn about our culture through art. In the same way, we can also learn from their culture,” Ms Fakaia said.
She added that the exhibition marks the beginning of a partnership with Australia, and Solomon Islands looks forward to further collaboration, especially in showcasing its artworks overseas.
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