2025 World Expo in Osaka
13 April - 13 October 2025
Osaka, Kansai, Japan
Tjanpi is excited to be exhibiting at the World Expo 2025 in Japan!
The World Expo features more than 150 countries and regions gathering together under the Expo theme Designing Future Society for Our Lives.
In partnership with Koskela, Tjanpi will light up the Australia Pavilion alongside Elcho Island Arts and Bula Bula Arts with a new body of work titled Tili Wiru Tjuta (All the Beautiful Lights).
This series of woven lampshades have been carefully crafted by a group of artists from Mimili community in the Anangu Pitjantjara Yankunytjatjara lands of South Australia. These forms, made from tjanpi (native grass) and hand dyed raffia, are drawn from Piti, a wooden bowl used by women for a range of daily tasks in traditional life (pre-colonisation). Piti were used to carry food and water, scoop soil, ladle water, and hunt for food including maku (witchetty grubs) and tjala (honey ants).
Mimili artists are known for their dynamic and experimental use of coil weaving techniques, traditionally used in basket making. Raffia or wool is wrapped around dried tjanpi forming long coils, which are then stitched in concentric rows. The artists often incorporate other materials in their work such as string, wire, wipya (emu feathers), and found objects.
Tjanpi’s participation also includes four stop-motion animations, created by artists using fibre sculptures to bring desert stories to life. These films reflect Tjanpi’s artist-led approach to storytelling, blending the whimsical nature of our sculptures with heartfelt narratives from Aṉangu Country.
Featured animations:
• Kukaputju – The Hunter (2021)
• Tangki – Donkey (2021)
• Ngayuku Papa: Bluey and Big Boy (2018)
• Ngayuku Papa: Tiny (2018)
These films are told in Aṉangu languages, by Aṉangu artists, and offer unique insight into life in the desert through the lens of community, culture and creativity.
Pictured is Sheena Dodd with her lampshade for the World Expo. Photo by Em Frank.