Darrell Sibosado

Darrell's multidisciplinary practice intricately weaves together traditional and contemporary designs, with a focus on the ancient riji—the mother-of-pearl pubic coverings worn by Bard men during sacred ceremonies and gatherings. He joins us in 2025 as our Artistic & Cultural Collaborator for Illume.

His intricate pieces are incised with patterns and tribal motifs, symbolizing the Bard people’s deep connection to the spiritual elements of water. Passed down through generations, these designs tell stories of ancestral links, the land, and the sea, and are traditionally enhanced by rubbing ochre and plant resin into the engraved grooves.

Sibosado's work is both a homage to this ancient cultural practice and a reimagining of it for contemporary audiences. He continues the traditional Bard practices of mother-of-pearl etching and shell work, while also developing derivative designs that bring ancient visual languages into modern artistic contexts. His large-scale sculptural installations, as well as his printmaking, reflect the themes and physical forms found within the riji, emphasizing that Aboriginal culture is not static but rather a living, adaptive presence that commands space within modern art.

After attending NAISDA Dance College in Sydney, where he immersed himself in broader artistic traditions, Sibosado embarked on a diverse and influential career within the Indigenous creative arts sector. Over the past three decades, he has held significant roles including Manager of the Professional Activities Division at NAISDA, Tour Manager for the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT), Producer at Film Australia, Program Officer at the Australia Council for the Arts, Curator at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, and Artist Development Manager at Gadigal Information Services/Koori Radio. As a producer for Gadigal, he worked on prominent projects such as the Yabun Festival, Gadigal Music Label, Klub Koori, and Young Black & Deadly, fostering platforms for emerging Indigenous artists.

In 2015, Sibosado returned to his ancestral home of Lombadina, where he became the Tourism & Arts Manager at the Lombadina Aboriginal Corporation. There, he took on the role of producer for the inaugural Ardi Festival, a major celebration of the arts and culture of the Dampier Peninsula. His ongoing mission is to revitalize traditional arts practices within his community and to create spaces where these practices can flourish and evolve.

Sibosado’s artwork has gained significant national and international recognition, exhibited at prestigious institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Cairns Regional Gallery, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, Murray Art Museum Albury, and the Wollongong Art Gallery. He was also featured in the 2024 Sydney Biennale, a milestone event in his career. His work has been privately commissioned and is part of important public collections including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of South Australia, Fondation Opale (Switzerland), and Cartier Foundation (France).

Sibosado's practice is defined by his commitment to bringing traditional Bard culture into the contemporary art world. He uses his art to challenge perceptions, drawing attention to the enduring relevance of Aboriginal culture and its ability to communicate powerful stories through visual language. His innovative approach and his ability to fuse ancient and modern artistic practices have made him a highly sought-after artist on the national and international stage.

Photo by: Biennale of Sydney/Daniel Boud