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A sweeping exhibition of Indigenous Australian art has filled the National Gallery of Art in Washington, bringing together nearly 200 works by more than 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.

“The Stars We Don’t See: Australian Indigenous Art” opened Nov. 15 and runs through March 1. Installed in the gallery’s East Building, it is described as the largest exhibition of Indigenous Australian art presented in North America.

The exhibition explores ties among land, family, culture, history and community. Its title reflects the recurring presence of stars, constellations and the night sky throughout the works.

In Indigenous Australian cultures, art can carry stories and histories across generations. Symbols and patterns in many of the pieces serve as visual expressions of oral traditions.

“The exhibit is so cool,” sophomore Jude Murray said. “I love how it is interpretive and shows Australian culture that you may have never seen before.”

Visitors can see ochre bark paintings, cultural objects, experimental weavings and other forms of contemporary art. Among the highlights are conceptual map paintings depicting the central and western deserts. Often called “dot paintings,” they use dense arrangements of dots to create patterns and convey stories.

Freshman Elizabeth Polizzi said she was struck by the way dots in many paintings appeared to represent stars, power and other elements associated with the sky.

Junior Martina Cantua was also drawn to the celestial imagery.

“I especially felt drawn to the pieces reflecting space and the stars,” Cantua said. “It was just so mesmerizing.”

Australian art directors and curators, including Myles Russell-Cook, selected works for the exhibition with American audiences in mind. The collection has also appeared at the Denver Art Museum, Portland Art Museum and Peabody Essex Museum.

Murray, who frequently visits the National Gallery with family, said the exhibition brings a welcome change to the museum.

“It’s one of the best contemporary representations of Aboriginal culture we have available near us,” Cantua said. “The way it represents Australian culture is so unique and interesting to look at.”