Free: Reconciliation Week Art Exhibition

A special exhibition opening this week in Honiara will offer young people across the Solomon Islands an opportunity to experience Australia’s culture, history, and storytelling through art.

The Yuendumu Doors art exhibition, one of Australia’s most significant Indigenous cultural collections, will be on display from 27 May to 3 June 2026 at the Solomon Islands National Art Gallery.

Ms Julie Fakaia, Curator of the National Art Gallery, with the Yuendumu Doors exhibition. 

Free to the public, the exhibition features poster prints of artworks originally painted more than 30 years ago by Warlpiri elders at the Yuendumu community school in Central Australia. These paintings marked the Warlpiri people’s first use of acrylic paint, combining traditional storytelling with a modern artistic medium.

Each artwork tells a powerful story, depicting daily life, cultural knowledge, and the Dreaming, the Aboriginal belief system that explains creation, connection to land, and the laws that guide life. 

Today, the Yuendumu Doors are recognised as important cultural records of Indigenous identity and heritage.

The exhibition is being delivered in partnership with the Solomon Islands National Art Gallery and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and coincides with Australia’s National Reconciliation Week, held annually from 27 May to 3 June. 

The week commemorates key milestones in Australia’s journey toward reconciliation with its First Nations peoples.

Curator of the National Art Gallery, Ms Julie Fakaia, said the exhibition reflects shared cultural values between Solomon Islanders and Australia’s First Nations communities.

“As Pacific people, we share deep cultural relationships with land, sea, ancestry and community. This exhibition highlights the importance of Indigenous storytelling and creates meaningful cultural exchange,” she said.

The National Art Gallery, Honiara, will exhibit prints of the Yuendumu Doors during Australia’s National Reconciliation Week from 27 May to 3 June 2026. The gallery is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. 

Australian High Commissioner Jeff Roach said the exhibition provides an opportunity for learning, particularly for young people.

“The Yuendumu Doors art exhibition celebrates and continues the cultural exchange between our nations. It demonstrates how cultural heritage can be kept alive and passed down, teaching younger generations about land, ancestry and culture,” he said.

While the original Yuendumu Doors are housed at the South Australia Museum, this international poster exhibition allows audiences in Solomon Islands to experience and appreciate their cultural significance.

Students, youth groups, and young creatives are especially encouraged to visit and reflect on the stories behind the artworks, while drawing inspiration for their own cultural expression.

Event Details:

What: Yuendumu Doors Art Exhibition (Poster Prints)

Where: Solomon Islands National Art Gallery, Honiara

When: 27 May – 3 June 2026

Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm (Monday to Friday)

Entry: Free

The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for young Solomon Islanders to connect with global Indigenous art while deepening appreciation for their own cultural identity and storytelling traditions.