Margo Ngawa Neale is a senior indigenous curator at the National Museum of Australia. She is head of the museum’s Indigenous Knowledges Curatorial Centre, and an adjunct professor in the Australian National University’s Centre for Indigenous History. The museum’s Indigenous Knowledges Curatorial Centre explores Australian history from an indigenous perspective. It seeks to increase knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, traditions, art, histories and world views.
Neale has published extensively and curated major innovative exhibitions, including the award-winning ‘Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters’. She is also editing the First Knowledges book series, written by Bruce Pascoe and Bill Gammage. The series “provides a deeper understanding of the expertise and ingenuity of indigenous Australians”. Neale works to make Australian indigenous art accessible to multiple audiences.
Additionally, Neale curated the digital exhibition ‘Connections’, which used cutting-edge visual, audio and aroma technologies to transform original artworks by First Nations artists. These include Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Albert Namatjira, Tommy Watson, Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi, Anna Pitjara and Lin Onus. ‘Connections’ was conceived, created and developed by Grande Experiences.
‘The museum is known for exploring and sharing First Peoples’ stories globally, for increasing accessibility and for bringing our stories alive. There can be no better way to bring our songlines stories alive than through this awe-inspiring multi-sensory display of Connection,” said Neale.
“This is the 21st century and younger demographics inhabit the digital domain. If we want to expose them to Aboriginal art and culture, we need to meet with them there,” she added.
“Spectacles like this do not replace static exhibitions but complement them and attract a broader spectrum of people who may not otherwise visit galleries and museums. Multi-sensory experiences like this allow us to stage the exhibition in more places, more often and for indigenous culture to get more exposure all around the world.”