An AYO string quartet joined acclaimed composer and yidaki virtuoso William Barton in a powerful cultural moment at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, performing at a prestigious gala marking the opening of its first permanent display of contemporary First Nations Australian art.
Violinists Robert Smith and Hannah Kim, violist Amayah Ryan and cellist Noah Lawrence were invited to perform with composer and Kalkadungu man William Barton at the black-tie gala event, hosted by the Australian Consulate-General, New York on 16 June. Hannah and Amayah proudly wore dresses custom made for AYO from fabric designed by Ikuntji Artists – the first women-founded art centre in the Western Desert.
The quartet was accompanied at the event by AYO CEO Kimbali Harding who said the opportunity to perform at the world-famous museum was a “dream come true” for the musicians.
“It was an incredible honour for our AYO musicians to perform with William Barton celebrating the first permanent exhibit of First Nations Art at one of the world’s most significant cultural institutions.
“Standing amongst the audience I couldn’t help but become a bit emotional to hear the sounds of the yidaki and sung language from Kalkadungu ring out across the Great Hall for the first time in the history of The Met,” said Kimbali.
“To have the AYO string sound join in support and see our young people wearing art from Ikuntji, Australia’s central desert dreaming made me incredibly proud to be Australian and to be a part of this moment with AYO.”
Kimbali Harding
Set against the spotlight of the FIFA World Cup, the evening also celebrated Australia’s contemporary national identity. It was held in The Met’s Carroll and Milton Petrie European Sculpture Court, next to the revitalised Michael C, Rockefeller Wing, home to one of the world’s most significant collections of art from Australia and the Pacific with 650 works spanning more than 140 cultures.
‘Significant milestone’
Speaking at the event, Australian Consul General of New York, Heather Ridout AO, said the evening marked a significant milestone: “The establishment of a dedicated space for contemporary First Nations Australian art within The Metropolitan Museum of Art. For the first time, Australian First Nations art has a permanent home within this esteemed institution, a powerful recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures.”
AYO was supported by the Office for the Arts and the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund (ICDAF) which supports Australia’s global cultural engagement to increase access to international audiences.
“Many thanks to OFTA, Consul General Ridout and the Australian Consulate staff for their tireless and generous support – including transporting us safely and efficiently through World Cup and NBA crowds and celebrations,” said Kimbali.
“A huge debt of gratitude to Natasha Brofsky (Head of Cello faculty) and Josephi Lin (Julliard String Quartet) from the Julliard School of Music for giving their personal time to work with our musicians. As well as Colin Maki and Benjamin Sanford for the loan of the most incredible Scarampella cello, on which Noah Lawrence performed for the Metropolitan performance.”
While on their whistlestop visit to New York, the AYO representatives also squeezed in rehearsals at Trinity Church (one of New York’s oldest churches), a visit to Alexander Hamilton’s grave, a National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic concert in Carnegie Hall conducted by Marin Alsop, masterclasses with Joseph Lin and Natasha Brofsky and caught up with AYO alumni percussionist Owen Bloomfield and violist Julian Kwok.
The Met’s collections of the arts of Africa, the ancient Americas, and Oceania, returned in May 2025 in a reimagined Michael C. Rockefeller Wing. Following a multiyear renovation, the three major collections – spanning five continents and hundreds of cultures – now stand as independent entities. The new Oceania galleries feature over 650 works from the Museum’s collection of Oceanic art.