New $3.5 million partnership to tour digital art experience from 2025
The incredible stories of Yawkyawk – mermaid-like ancestral spirits from Western Arnhem Land – will be taken to Southeast Asian audiences under a new $3.5 million partnership between the National Museum of Australia in Canberra and the ASEAN-Australia Centre.
The new creative partnership, which also includes the Maningrida Arts and Culture Centre, The Culture Office and Bábbarra Designs, will develop a stunning digital art experience, Water Spirits, that will tour the region from 2025.
Curated by members of Western Arnhem Land's Maningrida community, Water Spirits tells the story of freshwater mermaid-like spirits active in the waterways of Central and Western Arnhem Land for thousands of years.
National Museum director Katherine McMahon said the innovative partnership will take Australia's First Nations culture to the world, as well as foster deeper cultural exchange.
'This exhibition represents much more than art – it is a bridge that connects cultures, builds mutual understanding, and fosters trust,' Ms McMahon said. 'It will showcase the richness and diversity of Australia's cultural heritage.
'When nations share their stories, and when people open their hearts and minds to the experiences of others, we lay a powerful foundation for respect, empathy, and friendship.
'This exhibition will spark conversations that transcend borders and celebrate the shared human experiences that unite us all.
'The National Museum of Australia is honoured to work with the Maningrida community to explore new opportunities for digital story telling. I extend my thanks and respect to them for their leadership and work on this special project.
'We also extend our thanks to the ASEAN-Australia Centre for their belief in this project, which will foster an even greater connection between Australia and our regional neighbours.'
Ivan Namirrkki, artist and cultural advisor for Maningrida Arts and Culture Centre said: 'We have grown up learning about non-Indigenous culture.
'This exhibition is our opportunity to promote our culture back to Australians and global audiences.
'For hundreds of years we have had direct cultural exchange with Asia through the Macassan people. This exhibition is a modern extension of this cultural exchange.'
Water Spirits will tell the stories of Yawkyawk and other mermaid spirits of the region through large-scale projections, animations and soundscapes that transport audiences to the heart of Kunwinjku Country in West Arnhem Land.
It will take people on an extraordinary journey that allows them to engage with and discover the spiritual and cultural essence of these remarkable beings and deeply connect with Australia's Indigenous history and living culture.
The digital art experience will tour Southeast Asia from 2025 to 2028, with a companion exhibition featuring art and other objects to open at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra from 2026.
