Spinifex Hill Studio stands on Kariyarra Country in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We are home to one of the youngest Aboriginal art collectives in the north-west of Australia, the Spinifex Hill Artists.
Our story began in 2008 when South Hedland-based artists Irene Coffin, Max George, and members of the Mothers Against Drugs group approached non-profit cultural organisation FORM to request help in facilitating community workshops and professional development for the town’s Aboriginal artists.
Naming themselves the Spinifex Hill Artists (after an old name for Port Hedland), the group held their first solo exhibition, Before the Town Got Big, at Port Hedland’s Courthouse Gallery in 2009.
Over the next five years, the Spinifex Hill Artists continued to develop artistically and professionally. In March 2014, the group took up residence in a purpose-built home in South Hedland, the Spinifex Hill Studio. This was made possible through FORM’s long-term partnership with BHP and the Federal Government’s Regional Development Australia Fund, with the land being donated by the Department of Lands.
In 2021, the Spinifex Hill Project Space was built as a place for the local community and visitors to connect with the Pilbara’s dynamic creative practice, and to further the preservation and promotion of the local culture, heritage, and traditions. Designed by Officer Woods Architects and built by Cooper&Oxley, the Spinifex Hill Project space is a welcome addition to Spinifex Hill Studio.
Read the FORM x BHP 2022-2024 Strategy for Spinifex Hill Studio here.
Nyamal artist Selena Brown at Spinifex Hill Studio
Our artists produce critically acclaimed and highly collectable contemporary art.
Among them are finalists and winners of major art awards, including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), the Paddington Art Prize, Cossack Art Awards, and Hedland Art Awards.
Many have also featured in solo and group exhibitions locally, nationally, and internationally. Their work is held in permanent collections at major galleries and institutions, including Art Gallery of South Australia, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, and Western Australian Museum.
We regularly participate in national art fairs and events, including Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Tarnanthi and Revealed Art Market.
Nyaparu (William) Gardiner’s (dec.) work ‘Our Old People’ was the winner of the 2019 Telstra NATSIAA for Best Work On Paper
We believe in fair, ethical, and respectful dealings with First Nations artists and knowledge holders.
We are a member of the Indigenous Art Code, a system that preserves and promotes ethical trading in Indigenous art. Relationships between the Studio and the artists, including all sales, are conducted in accordance with the Code. Artists receive professional support including material supply, inventory management, sales and external exhibition opportunities, and general career support.
Purchasing art through Spinifex Hill Studio guarantees you are purchasing ethically. This ensures the artists and those around them are paid fairly, securing a sustainable future for Australia’s Indigenous art industry.
