The Art Gallery of WA has more than 2700 works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia and surrounding islands. 
Highlights of the collection include hundreds of bark paintings from Arnhem Land, wooden sculptures, decorated artefacts and carvings as well as a number of contemporary works. A total of 525 WA Aboriginal artists are represented in the collection, from regions all over the State. The gallery has 37 works by famous WA artist Rover Thomas who, along with fellow Aboriginal artist Trevor Nickolls, exhibited paintings at the 44th Venice Biennale (art exhibition) in 1990. This was the first time Aboriginal art had been represented at the biennale and Thomas' work in particular received overwhelming praise.
AGWA first purchased an indigenous artwork in 1946, a watercolour painting titled Ullambaura Haast Bluff by Albert Namatjira. Up until the 1950s, the State museum was mostly responsible for collecting and displaying indigenous artefacts. However, they were not collected for their aesthetic and art value but so that anthropologists could study the culture of Aboriginal people and learn how they lived. 
Carly Lane, curator of the indigenous art collection at AGWA, has many favourites in the collection. 
"I really like Revel Cooper, Reynold Hart and Bella Kelly's works for their unique style. Another favourite WA artist represented in the collection is Sandra Hill because her work transcends cultural borders and connects with people emotionally," Lane said.
 "Art is a good tool to demonstrate Aboriginal people are here and want to be heard. Through art our voices are heard and put out in the public domain."
AGWA will open a new objects gallery, Gifts to the Fallen, next month with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, such as Spring Water by Roy Wiggin, that looks at death and related ceremonies from an Aboriginal viewpoint.
For more information, go to artgallery. wa.gov.auexhibitionsobjects-focus- gallery.asp. 
AGWA acknowledges it is on land that was looked after by the Whadjuk and Noongar people for thousands of years.