We are so excited to reveal Indigenous artist, Alicia Bilyara Bennett with her debut solo show at Saint Cloche.

Alicia’s artworks are centred around story-telling and have an earthy, yet ethereal effervescence about them and encompasses what it means to be part of the oldest living culture in the world and to be a ‘Barkindji woman’. Softly-spoken, calm and deeply sentimental about her familial connection to country, Alicia’s star is rising, making its mark on Australia’s art scene.

Wiridji

“Wiridji 'Ceremony' is a part of me, it's my daily practice embodying every sacred day spent on this earth.

Wiridji started far beyond the physical. It came to me in a dream, visions of yellow, red and brown circled in my thoughts for weeks; stars and the milky way would wake me from my slumber... I had to use dots (heaps of them!).

I knew this collection was going to be special when the first piece was born. It was as if my ancestors were controlling where the lines took me from one edge of the board to the other.

Unlike many artworks I've birthed into the world, the collection 'Wiridji' has given me an immense sense of calm as opposed to feeling fear and vulnerability, I feel Wiridji is just the beginning of surrendering to my soul’s purpose.”

- Alicia Bilyara Bennett

Alicia Bilyara Bennett is a descendant of the Barkindji of the Darling River basin in Far West New South Wales, Australia and Ngalakan in Arnhem land Northern Territory, Australia.

Alicia began painting professionally in 2021 shortly after her father Crunchy Bennett (renowned indigenous artist and emu egg carver) passed and had her debut solo with Jerico Contemporary in 2022 showcasing a collection of monochrome works at the gallery, since then she has exhibited with multiple galleries across the state and intends to keep going in order to gain international recognition of her language and heritage.

Though Alicia hasn't formally studied the arts, she has been mentored and inspired by her artist mother, father and grandmother; the family’s rich artistic culture and history aligning with Alicia’s own art, speaking for itself, inheriting the ability to present works with a depth and lineage to a broad audience. Bennett is currently working from her home studio in Woolooware, Dharwal country taking on private commissions and working on exclusive collections of which she contributes a portion of proceeds to communities in need.