| A passionate engagement | | | | third edition); and any of Jennifer Isaacs’ |
| | | | | beautifully illustrated publications. |
| Marie Geissler on collecting Australian Aboriginal art | | | | Art auction house catalogues are a must, and it |
| | | | | also pays to look in on State and National Gallery |
| | | | | bookshops, especially for their exhibition |
| Aboriginal art is richly rewarding for the collector. | | | | catalogues on this subject. |
| Described by renowned Australian art critic, | | | | Before making any art purchase, however, you |
| Robert Hughes, as belonging to ‘the | | | | should decide what you want from this exercise. |
| world’s last great art movement’, | | | | You may wish to purchase one or two pieces |
| collectors of art from this extraordinary ancient | | | | just for the pleasure of owning and looking at the |
| but vibrant living culture have, in recent years, | | | | work. In this case feel free to shop around and |
| fuelled a boom in sales. Prices at auction have | | | | spontaneously purchase at will. You can get great |
| skyrocketed, and those who entered the market | | | | prints for around $300 (see the Aboriginal Art |
| early have enjoyed great returns on their | | | | Print Network online) and paintings from $800 plus. |
| investments. | | | | Your reward will be a collection that makes you |
| In 2006, Emily Kame Kngwarreye’s | | | | feel good; the motivation behind many of the |
| Earth’s Creation achieved a record of AUS | | | | truly great collections of the past. |
| $1,056,000 at auction; the first million dollar plus | | | | Alternatively, if your aim is to buy with an eye |
| sale at a Lawson-Menzies auction. Last year, | | | | for investment return and perhaps eventual resale |
| Clifford Possum’s epic Warlugulong was sold | | | | through a dealer or art auction house, then you |
| at Sotheby’s to the National Gallery of | | | | should take a more considered and strategic |
| Australia for AUS $2.4 million. | | | | approach. |
| Swept along by the wave of this success, and | | | | After research which includes reading, looking at |
| the expectations of rich rewards from investing in | | | | art, and discussing your preferences with |
| Aboriginal art, art aficionados have mined their | | | | knowledgeable art advisors, an area of interest |
| savings for a piece of the action and purchased | | | | should be selected. For sheer pleasure, try looking |
| Aboriginal art for their superannuation and | | | | at the optically dazzling and colourful community |
| investment portfolios. This has been reflected in | | | | desert art online at Irrunytju, Utopia, Yuendumu, |
| industry statistics which show that in 2007, | | | | Balgo, Papunya Tula, Fitzroy Crossing and |
| secondary art market sales exceeded AUS $25 | | | | Lajamanu. There’s also coastal works from |
| million; and over recent years well over 40 | | | | Yirrkala, Lockhart River and Tiwi Islands. These will |
| records have been broken for the top performing | | | | certainly inspire you. |
| artists. | | | | Your aim is to find an individual artist whose work |
| Today, however with the impact of the global | | | | appeals; or a specific community, painting style or |
| financial meltdown being all pervasive, sales in all | | | | theme around which you can build a collection. This |
| sectors – including Aboriginal art – have | | | | will make your collection a meaningful entity. And |
| dropped. Within this context, however, it’s | | | | remember: a collection linked to an interesting |
| well to remember that art provides a very stable | | | | area often has much more value for resale than |
| haven for funds; if purchased wisely art can be a | | | | a selection of unrelated works. |
| source of excellent return. | | | | Your next consideration is to decide how much |
| Today’s climate therefore is a great time to | | | | you wish or can afford to spend each year. |
| start collecting. It offers collectors a rare | | | | Ideally, for investment purposes, the purchase |
| opportunity to buy well at auction and also | | | | price needs to be around $10,000 plus. At this |
| through galleries. | | | | price, if you’ve done all your homework, and |
| But how do you begin collecting Aboriginal art? | | | | you’ve found a work that has a certificate of |
| Before taking the plunge, savour first the pleasure | | | | authenticity from a reputable art auction house, |
| you are about to enjoy. I strongly advise that this | | | | gallery, community art centre or dealer, you can |
| be an adventure of the heart; that you buy | | | | expect it to be a purchase that will give you a |
| because you’re passionately in love with the | | | | sound return. To optimize this, your painting should |
| work you wish to purchase. This is because, in | | | | be held for at least five to ten years. |
| the end, your artwork will be a constant | | | | Now we come to the really exciting stage: |
| companion; you will more that likely see it every | | | | shopping around and making a purchase. Knowing |
| day. | | | | which artists are hot in the market, the artists |
| It’s also well to remember that the promises | | | | whose work is increasing in price and selling well at |
| of your collecting adventure will not just be | | | | auction, is important. Auction prices are good |
| aesthetic ones. As an owner of an Aboriginal | | | | indicators of what the market is prepared to pay |
| painting, you step into a world said to be at least | | | | for an artist’s work, so it’s worth |
| 40,000 years old; one that that draws from the | | | | drawing up a list of the artists who are in your |
| most ancient if not the most fascinating living | | | | price range, and familiarising yourself with their |
| culture on the planet today. | | | | works, before you start. |
| Aboriginal art is informed by a sacred mythology, | | | | For serious, cashed-up collectors, start at the top. |
| or tjukurpa, that draws from this. It is called the | | | | Stars in the auction room, and now deceased, |
| ‘Dreamtime’ or Dreaming – the | | | | include Rover Thomas (sales in excess of AUS |
| incredible Creation Period of Aboriginal belief. | | | | $13.8 million), Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Albert |
| The Dreaming occurred in ancient times when | | | | Namatjira and Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Johnny |
| powerful Ancestral Beings were said to have | | | | Warangkula Tjupurrula, Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri, |
| formed the land, the waterholes, the rivers; and | | | | and Lin Onus. |
| at the same time created the people, the plants | | | | Others who have sold between AUS $1-2 million |
| and animals. They came from under the Earth | | | | are Ronnie Tjampitjinpa, Paddy Bedford, Turkey |
| and took epic journeys across the country, | | | | Tolson Tjupurrula, Kaapa Tjampitjinpa, Queenie |
| making and creating as they went, before finally | | | | Nakarra McKenzie, Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri, Uta Uta |
| disappearing beneath the ground again. | | | | Jangala, Shorty Lungkata Tjungurrayi, and Maggie |
| These magical Beings are said to have taught the | | | | Watson Napangardi. |
| Aboriginal people their laws, and ceremonies which | | | | Of living artists, the dazzling talent of Tommy |
| need to be enacted in the present in order for | | | | Watson tops the list. He is a stunning colourist |
| survival and well-being. For Aboriginal people, the | | | | who achieved a record sale price of AUS |
| Spirit Beings still live today and are very much | | | | $240,000 for Waltitjata at Lawson-Menzies |
| part of their traditional culture. Their stories form | | | | auction in 2007. |
| the inspirational source for the mythological | | | | Other outstanding living artists whose work |
| content of Aboriginal art. When artists draw on | | | | fetches good prices include Judy Watson, Dorothy |
| this, the act of painting brings the Dreaming into | | | | Napangardi, George Tjungurrayi, Kathleen |
| the present. It generates strength and ancestral | | | | Petyarre, Ningura Naparrula, Makinti Napanangka, |
| energy into the ‘Now’. | | | | Lily Kelly Napangardi, Elizabeth Nyumi Nungurrayi, |
| The next step in the collection process consists of | | | | John Mawurndjul and Billy Whiskey Tjapaltjarri. |
| building your knowledge base about the Aboriginal | | | | Emerging artists within the secondary market |
| art industry. Begin by trawling the key commercial | | | | – those representing good value as their price |
| gallery internet sites, including Agathon Gallery, | | | | tags are still affordable – include Regina Wilson, |
| Alcaston Gallery, Cooee Aboriginal Art, Michael | | | | Tjayangka Woods, Jack Dale, Helen McCarthy |
| Reid, Hogarth Galleries, Gabriella Roy, Gondwana, | | | | Tyalmuty, Kudditji Kngwarreye, Paddy Simms, |
| William Mora, Utopia and Gabriella Pizzi. | | | | Anganampa Martin, Walangkura Napanangka, |
| Useful publications include Margo Neale and Silvia | | | | Wingu Tingima, Lorner Fencer and Eubena |
| Kleinert’s Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art | | | | Nampitjin. |
| and Culture; Wally Caruana’s Aboriginal Art; | | | | One you begin collecting, don’t be surprised if |
| Susan McCulloch and Emily McCulloch-Childs’ | | | | you find it taking over your life – just enjoy |
| Contemporary Aboriginal Art (which, helpfully, has | | | | the ride! |
| just republished in a fully revised and expanded | | | | |