PA/02/2026 19 March 2026
Australia and India’s ancient crafts come together to weave a landmark exhibition
Australian First Nations and Indian tribal traditions have come together in a compelling cultural collaboration with the opening of the exhibition, “the Guardians Across Mountain and Sea,” at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy in New Delhi.
The exhibition offers a visually compelling exploration of heritage, identity and storytelling through Australian and Indian traditional craft. Opened by Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Mr Philip Green, on 10 March, the exhibition will remain on display until 27 March 2026.
The exhibition centers on hand-woven sculptural works by acclaimed Australian First Nations artist Grace Lillian Lee. Her evocative installation “Winds of Guardians” features four large-scale structural forms and a ceremonial Dreamweaver Mask, drawing on the intricate weaving traditions of the Torres Strait Islands, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.
Presented alongside Lee’s works are significant pieces from the museum’s collection, including Siki grass woven sculptures from Tripura and ceremonial masks from Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh. Together, these works illuminate the deep cultural knowledge, symbolism and storytelling embedded in craft traditions across both nations.
Reflecting on the significance of the exhibition, High Commissioner Philip Green said, “Grace Lillian Lee’s presentation at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy foregrounds First Nations traditions as a living practice. Rooted in tradition yet unmistakably present, her work reminds us that ancestral knowledge moves, adapts and continues to shape contemporary art. This showcase is a powerful testament to the growing interest in Indigenous and tribal cultures between Australia and India, generating a cross-cultural dialogue on identity, sustainability, and the enduring strength of indigenous knowledge.”
Senior Director of the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, Mr Manoj Rana, described the exhibition “as a rare curatorial exchange that brings together traditions from across regions, highlighting the continued relevance of indigenous knowledge systems in connecting cultures.”
For Australian artist Grace Lillian Lee, the exhibition represents a powerful convergence of stories from different lands, united by shared practices. “It is an honour to see my work presented in conversation with India’s extraordinary craft traditions. Weaving, for me, is a language of memory, identity and continuity. This exhibition creates a space where our stories, though shaped by different lands and histories, can meet, resonate and be reimagined together.”
A Torres Strait Islander artist, designer and founder of First Nations Fashion + Design (FNFD), Lee is internationally recognised for her innovative practice that bridges traditional weaving techniques with contemporary art and fashion. Her recent presence at the India Art Fair represents the growing artistic exchanges between Australia and India.
The exhibition, “Guardians Across Mountain and Sea,” is open to the public from 10 March to 27 March 2026.
Curatorial Note:
The Guardians Across Mountains and Sea, curated by the Australian High Commission’s Public Diplomacy Manager Divjyot Singh, brings into dialogue Australian First Nations artist Grace Lillian Lee’s handwoven sculptures with Indian weaving traditions and tribal mask-making from the collection of the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy. The exhibition explores how craft functions as a living practice - carrying knowledge, belief systems and cultural identity across generations. Drawing on traditions from the Torres Strait Islands and the mountain regions of Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh, it reflects shared ways in which communities engage with the natural world, ancestral memory and the divine. Through weaving, carving and ceremonial forms, these traditions continue to evolve, responding to contemporary realities while remaining deeply rooted in place. The works presented highlight striking parallels between Australian and Indian material cultures, offering a powerful cross-cultural dialogue on identity, sustainability and the enduring relevance of indigenous knowledge systems.