The Indigenous Jewellery Project (IJP) is the first nation-wide Indigenous Australian contemporary jewellery project, working with Indigenous jewellers at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned art centres across Australia, comprising research, workshops, photography, films, and exhibitions.
IJP was created by curator Emily McCulloch Childs who has partnered with artists and contemporary jewellers Kate Rohde (Pieces of Eight) and Melinda Young (Pieces of Eight, UNSW). IJP has initiated projects comprising of workshops and exhibitions with Aboriginal owned art centres Erub Erwer Meta (Torres Strait Islands), Ernabella Arts (APY Lands), Ikuntji Artists (Haasts Bluff, NT), Buku-Larrnggay Mulka (Yirrkala, NT), Gab Titui (Torres Strait Islands), Kemarre Arts (ACT) and Aboriginal community groups including Dhariwaa Elders Group (Walgett, NSW) and Jaanymili Bawrrungga Inc. (Bowraville, NSW).
Projects have been exhibited nationally including at the JamFactory (TARNANTHI), NGV Design Store, National Contemporary Jewellery Award (Griffith Regional Gallery & Sturt Centre for Design), Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre, Australian Design Centre, Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, artisan, Stanley Street Galleries, City of Perth, Artitja Fine Art, Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory), Radiant Pavilion Melbourne Jewellery & Object Biennial, Parcours Bijoux (Paris), Contemporary Wearables Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition (Toowoomba Regional Gallery), Peninsula Hot Springs, Flinders University City Gallery store, and Everywhen Artspace. IJP has partnered with Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre & ANU School of Art & Design Object & Metal Studio to deliver several professional contemporary jewellery workshops and create the first artist-in-residence for an Indigenous contemporary jeweller at an Australian university.
Works from IJP projects have been collected by major public galleries including the Maritime Museum, Toowoomba Regional Gallery and the National Gallery of Australia, and the project has been documented in Garland, the magazine of the World Crafts Council and featured on ABC TV, Canberra, and in Crucible, for Current Obsession magazine for Munich Jewellery Week. IJP has been supported by the Australia Council, Australian Government Indigenous Languages & Arts Program, Santos, Creative Partnerships Australia, Craft ACT: Craft & Design Centre, Australian Design Centre and Create NSW.
To 2025 IJP has worked with around 150 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander jewellers from across Australia.
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Buku-Larrnggay Mulka & The Indigenous Jewellery Project workshop, exhibited at the Australian Design Centre
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Dhirimbi/ The Ring, 2017, Gold plated phosphorous bronze, 30 x 36 x 21 mm. Bulay(i): Buku-Larrnggay Mulka & The Indigenous Jewellery Project. Exhibited Telstra NATSIAA (Museum & Art Gallery of the NT), Collection Maritime Museum. Image Melinda Young
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Madatjala Yunupingu and Marawaymala Yunupingu in the studio at Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala, NE Arnhem
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Marrnyula Munungurr wearing her first 'Djapu' clan bark necklace, Bulay(i) Project: Buku-Larrnggay Mulka
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Bulay(i) Project: Buku-Larrnggay Mulka with The Indigenous Jewellery Project, still from film by Ngali for Melbourne Fashion Week
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Emily Beckley: Frangal ('Of my grandfather') necklace, 2018, Copper, silver, silk. The Indigenous Jewellery Project with Craft ACT, ANU workshop 2018. Image David Campbell
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Emily Beckley, Destructive Beauty, 2020, Marine Ply, Plastic, Silver. Exhibited Connexions exhibition, Galerie Assembplages
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Rosaline Tomasina's 'Torres Strait Islander symbol' necklace on the runway with Ngali at Australian Fashion Week, Sydney
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IJP workshop teacher & contemporary jewellery advisor Melinda Young with artist Marissa Thompson at Ernabella Arts, APY Lands
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Worimi jewellers Krystal Hurst and Angie Davis in Craft ACT, Kemarre Arts & ANU School of Art & Design Jewellery & Object Studio
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Matilda Nona, Eucalyptus Ring, Silver, Gamu Keub Keub Body Ardornment Project, Gab Titui
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Ernabella Project: Artist Anne Thompson with her bracelet made during workshop with Kate Rohde at Ernabella Arts
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Luritja artist Kayannie Denigan, Ngathu Bubu, bronze, silver. Craft ACT, Kemarre Arts & The Indigenous Jewellery Project at ANU School of Art & Design Jewellery & Object Studio. Exhibited Contemporary Wearables Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition, Toowoomba Regional Gallery. Acquired Toowoomba Regional Gallery.
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Earrings by Christine Inglis, Silky Oak, Silver, Copper. Gumbaynggirr artists with the Australian Design Centre 2021
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Traditional Yolgnu Girring'Girring (Necklaces) upskilled from Bulay(i) Project: Buku-Larrnggay Mulka with The indigenous Jewellery
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Artist Thomas Tjilya learning silversmithing in workshop at Ernabella Arts
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Artist Maryann Sebasio with her jewellery masters made during workshop at Gab Titui Centre
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Torres Strait Islander artist Emily Beckley's work Sabagorar (Traditional Bridal Pendant), oxidised bronze, silk thread, Gabu-Keub Keub Project. One of Bekcley's Sabagorar series is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia.
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Torres Strait Islander artist Emily Beckley with curator Emily McCulloch Childs at their exhibition at artisan, Queensland's home for Craft and Design
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Buku-Larrnggay Mulka & The Indigenous Jewellery Project: exhibition installation, Australian Design Centre. Image Simon Cardwell
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Buku-Larrnggay Mulka & The Indigenous Jewellery Project: exhibition installation, Australian Design Centre. Image Simon Cardwell
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