Aboriginal Women's Fiber Art: A Virtual Tour

This virtual tour will take you on a journey to the community of Gapuwiyak in Arnhem Land, Australia where Yolngu Aboriginal women have been making fiber art for hundreds of years. It explores what kind of fiber art is made, why, and how the objects are made.

The exhibition "With Her Hands: Women’s Fiber Art from Gapuwiyak: The Louise Hamby Gift" was on view at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia from summer 2019 through March 2020. It was curated by six undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds that are under-represented in the curatorial profession. The exhibition features selections from a gift of 100 artworks recently donated to Kluge-Ruhe by Dr. Louise Hamby that address topics of tradition and innovation, gender roles, generational change and relationships to place.

The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia is the only museum outside of Australia dedicated to the exhibition and study of Indigenous Australian art. Whether onsite or online, we aim to amplify Indigenous perspectives and foster inspirational cross-cultural experiences to deepen appreciation and understanding of our shared humanity. We believe the most inspiring journeys are personal, immersive, uplifting and enlightening, with twists and turns we can’t predict. We provide platforms for you to chart your own path as you explore our unique collection of art and stories that are embedded with deep historical and cultural significance.

We are located in Charlottesville, Virginia and came to exist through the generosity of two prominent American collectors, Edward L. Ruhe and John W. Kluge. To learn more, visit us at kluge-ruhe.org