Ilgarijiri – things belonging to the sky
Ilgarijiri means “things belonging to the sky” in the Wajarri language was a project launched in 2009 to mark the International Year of Astronomy.
It was a collaboration between Aboriginal artists from or residing in the Mid West of Western Australia (Yamaji Country), via Yamaji Art, and radio astronomers from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), based in Perth, Western Australia.
The intent of their meeting was for Aboriginal Artists to work with scientists using the world’s leading astronomy equipment, bringing together the world’s oldest continuing cultural understanding of the sky, its stories and the world’s state-of-the-art astronomical technology.
A trip to Mullewa and Boolardy Station inspired a large body of works, and captured the imagination of other artists in the region. Some artworks are still available for sale online. All pieces can be found on the Ilgarijiri website.
This exhibition presents two different world views of the sky, and the universe – the stars, and the space between them.
In 2012, the Exhibition toured Europe. View the Ilgarijiri Europe Exhibition photos.
Describing the Murchison Wide-field Array to the artists from Yamatji Art, Boolardy station, Western Australia, 26th March 2009. Photo (cc) AstroMeg.
Exhibitions
2012 The Hague, Netherlands
2012 European Parliament Brussells, Belgium
2012 Berlin, Germany
2010 Cape Town, South Africa
2009 AIATSIS, Canberra ACT
2009 Curtin University, Perth WA
2009 GUC, Geraldton WA
2009 GRAG, Geraldton WA
