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Sally Morgan

Sally Morgan

Sally Morgan

Born: 1951

Language Group: Palku-Nyamal

Country: Corunna Downs, Pilbara, Western Australia

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas, Watercolour and Gouache on Board, Screenprint

Subjects: The Walk, Broken Hearted, Loop Gorge, Mud Flats, Secret Worlds, After Sorrow, Adam and Eve, Mother and Child, Men and Ducks, Hearts and Minds

Sally Morgan is a prominent Aboriginal artist, author, and academic of Palkyu descent from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Born in Perth, Sally is best known for her groundbreaking autobiography My Place (1987), which played a significant role in bringing Aboriginal voices and stories into mainstream Australian literature. Through this work, she revealed her family's hidden Aboriginal heritage, challenging the legacy of assimilation policies and giving voice to the lived experiences of Aboriginal Australians.
As a visual artist, Sally's work is characterised by bold colours, stylised forms, and storytelling motifs rooted in her Aboriginal identity and connection to Country. Her paintings often explore themes of family, identity, connection to land, and the spiritual dimensions of Aboriginal culture. Morgan 's art is both deeply personal and widely accessible, blending contemporary styles with traditional influences to communicate cultural resilience and continuity.
Sally has also illustrated and written several children's books that celebrate Aboriginal stories, values and connection to nature, furthering her commitment to education and cultural preservation.
Through her art and writing, Sally has become a vital cultural figure, using creative expression to bridge gaps in understanding and promote reconciliation in Australia.
References
Art Gallery of NSW
National Gallery of Australia
(2025) National Gallery of Australia: Sally Morgan, "https://nga.gov.au"
Morgan, S.
(1987) My Place , Fremantle Arts Centre Press., Fremantle, WA
Indigenous Australia