Namatjira watercolours on display at Parliament House in Canberra
The legacy of renowned Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira continues to shine through the younger generations' work with an exhibition of watercolour paintings at Parliament House in Canberra.
The Namatjira to Now: Five Generations of Watercolours in the Central Desert exhibition features works created by artists who studied under the renowned painter in Hermannsburg west of Alice Springs.
Namatjira redefined Aboriginal art in the early 20th century with a series of realistic watercolours depicting central Australia.
Now younger generations have their work on display in the nation's capital to ensure his artistic movement becomes a tradition of his people.
Creative producer Sophia Marinos said the works on display reflected Namatjira's style and depicted wildlife and stunning views from the red centre.
She said fostering art in Hermannsburg during the past 50 years had returned big benefits to the community.
"The project has always been about supporting those communities and helping to capitalise on that really rich heritage to get it back out there and into the national narrative," she said.
Ms Marinos said five artists and three students travelled from Hermannsburg to Canberra for the opening of the exhibition.
"This trip to Canberra is important on so many levels," she said.
"It's about investing in the future of those younger artists, giving them a glimpse of the significance of their art movement on the national stage.
"It is something to be proud of and harnessing its possibilities presents very real career paths."
Senior artist Lenie Namatjira said the exhibition celebrated the resilience of the Aboriginal art movement while raising awareness of the need to support the artists, their art centre and their community.
"We are teaching the young ones to paint - just like my family and the other Western Aranda watercolour painters once did," she said.
"Now we want to make our own arts centre strong, so we can carry on this tradition."
The legacy of the Namatjira family and the art movement was internationally recognised last year, when Lenie and Kevin Namatjira were invited to an audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
"These artists are resilient and strong and established but it's on a knife's edge a lot of the time as to whether it has a future or not," Ms Marinos said.
"Yet there are real careers paths for those artists and the young ones coming through."
The exhibition will be on display at Parliament House until February 2015.
