Off the Walls: Art from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Agencies 1967–2005 explored the world of First Nations art, and the politics and history of a time of great change.
This exhibition featured works by internationally-renowned artists including Rover Thomas, Narritjin Maymuru and Fiona Foley. These works are part of a collection built over 40 years by government bodies dealing with First Nations affairs. They literally came 'off the walls' when the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was closed.
Off the Walls: Art from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Agencies 1967–2005 was on show at the National Museum of Australia from 28 October 2011 to 10 June 2012.
About the collection
Learn about how the collection was started, and explore the objects and artworks in the exhibition.
An extraordinary collection
Read a description of the exhibition and how it came about by one of our curators.
Historical milestones
Explore key events in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history between 1967–2005.