The Aboriginal MemorialPrint Page 
The Aboriginal Memorial is an installation of 200 hollow log coffins (burial poles) from Central Arnhem Land. The work was created to coincide with the Australian Bicentenary and commemorates those Indigenous Australians who died as a result of European settlement since 1788.
It was conceived by Djon (John) Mundine in 1987-88 and realised by 43 artists from Ramingining and neighbouring communities of Central Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory. Artists who participated in its creation included David Malangi and George Milpurrurru. The artists who created this installation intended that it be located in a public place where it could be preserved for future generations.
It was acquired by the National Gallery of Australia, where it is on permanent display. Its first exhibition was at the Sydney Biennale in 1988, and it was the centrepiece of an exhibition of Indigenous art at Russia's Hermitage Museum in 2000.
In June 2022 The Aboriginal Memorial reopened in a new location in the heart of the National Gallery on Level 1. The relocation was planned in close consultation with the Ramingining community and the Commissioning Curator of the work, Djon Mundine. The new presentation returns the work to its original rectangular format as per the artists’ intent.
Location
| Address: | Parkes Place, National Gallery , Parkes, 2600 |
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| State: | ACT |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.300278 Long: 149.136175 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | Frontier |
| Artist: | Ramingining artists |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 1988 |
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