Emilia Galatis Projects, a Perth-based gallery focusing on Western Australian First Nations artists, will present the first Melbourne solo exhibition by Corban Clause Williams at Melbourne Art Fair 2026, running February 19-22. The show will debut 15 new paintings and design works extending Williams' Manyjilyjarra Country and culture into sculptural and textile forms, accompanied by a Martu Wangka artist talk with Anya Judith Samson. Williams, born in 1994 and based in Parnngurr Community, has gained rapid acclaim for canvases weaving ancestral knowledge with contemporary visual language, and was named an inaugural Creative WA Fellowship recipient in late 2025.
This debut marks a major milestone for one of Australia's most exciting emerging Indigenous artists, highlighting the growing visibility of First Nations contemporary art in major Australian art fairs. Williams' practice challenges reductive readings of Aboriginal art by foregrounding lived histories and deep connection to Country, while his cross-disciplinary collaborations in fashion and textiles bridge storytelling and global design markets. The exhibition underscores the importance of platforms like Melbourne Art Fair in elevating Indigenous voices and the role of galleries like Emilia Galatis Projects in advancing Western Australian First Nations artists internationally.