Highlighting Climate Impacts Through Indigenous Art
Charles Darwin University has launched an exhibition titled ‘Climate Impacts on Country’ that uses Indigenous art to illustrate the effects of climate change on First Nations communities. The exhibition opened on 9 April and will run until 10 April at the Danala | Education and Community Precinct. The project aims to put First Nations voices at the forefront of climate action discussions.
Led by CDU’s Northern Institute, Research Fellow Sharna Motlap and Professor Linda Ford, the project includes work by seven First Nations artists from Darwin and Mackay. This initiative adopts a holistic view of climate change, focusing not just on numeric data but on lived experiences. “By documenting the specific environmental and cultural losses as seen through the eyes of these artists, we are using art as evidence and capturing strategies and solutions,” explained Sharna Motlap, a proud Mbabaram woman.
The exhibition was originally scheduled for November 2025 but had to be rescheduled due to Cyclone Fina, illustrating the real impacts of climate change. Jodie Durante, a Torres Strait Islander artist and Motlap’s mother, explained that her work reflects the potential impacts of climate change on her home in Slade Point, Queensland. She emphasised the importance of caring for the land to ensure future generations can enjoy it.
Artists and Their Works
Jodie Durante’s artwork captures the beauty and fragility of Slade Point’s beaches. Her work shows how climate change could affect this region, with footprints disappearing in the sand and fish skeletons appearing on the shores. Meanwhile, Iman and Kuku-Yalanji artist Andrew Doyle focuses on coral bleaching, highlighting the stark contrast between vibrant coral reefs and bleached white corals.
Noelene Madrill, another contributing artist, presents pieces like ’10 Mile Country’ and ‘Billy Goat Plum,’ which highlight rising sea levels and their impacts on culturally significant sites. This diversity of perspectives enriches the exhibition, providing a comprehensive view of how climate change affects different regions and cultures.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 9am to 4pm on 10 April. It invites visitors to engage with art as a medium for understanding and addressing climate change, encouraging awareness and action.
Last updated: 9 April 2026, 5:34 pm
