This Month
Art Gallery of NSW welcomes ‘exceptional’ Indigenous art bequest
Former New Zealand media baron Michael Horton has fulfilled the wish that he and his late wife Dame Rosie Horton committed themselves to before her death last year.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
April
Indigenous artist wins top prize at Venice Biennale
Indigenous artist Archie Moore has won the Venice Biennale’s Golden Lion, becoming the first Australian to take the top gong.
- Holly Hales
January
Collectors and wannabes take note: Melbourne Art Fair is where it’s at
A total reboot of the 35-year-old fair is on track to attracting the big money away from its behemoth NSW counterpart, Sydney Contemporary
- Dan F. Stapleton
November 2023
The great Australian artist who rose to fame in just a decade
A trip to the remote desert land known as Utopia gives a glimpse into the life of Indigenous artist Emily Kam Kngwarray, the subject of a new exhibition.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
October 2023
‘I use my paintbrush as a weapon’: Vincent Namatjira’s new exhibition
The acclaimed Indigenous artist takes aim at Empire and influence, using broad strokes of humour to skewer his targets.
- Stephen Todd
September 2023
This UK museum put aside the culture wars to return 174 Indigenous artefacts
As three Anindikyakwa women from the Gulf of Carpenteria reclaim 174 artefacts, Manchester Museum looks to set the standard for decolonising its collection.
- Hans van Leeuwen
August 2023
The art fair where ‘armchair investors’ are not welcome (on day one)
Desert Mob has launched the careers of many Indigenous artists, which is why people camp out to be first into the Alice Springs event.
- Dan F. Stapleton
Why the art world is getting so excited about Dylan Mooney
The NGV has already bought 14 works by this 27-year-old legally blind artist, which is fine by him if it helps northern Australia’s seas and islands.
- Dan F.Stapleton
July 2023
Artists rally to keep Klingender show on the road
Tim Klingender may have died in a tragic boating accident last week, but art world luminaries will step up to keep his flag flying at Sydney Contemporary art fair.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
June 2023
Why anticipation is running high for the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair
Twenty-two years ago at the annual event, acclaimed artist Dorothy Napangardi took home the Telstra Art Award. This year her daughter is hoping to do the same.
- Madeline Hayman-Reber
His first show was two years ago. Now everyone wants a piece of Shal
A tattooist and punk musician who did not attend art school, Indigenous artist Shaun Daniel Allen is being courted by top institutions and global luxury brands.
- Dan F. Stapleton
There’s crocodile curry pie to go with Uluru’s light and laser show
A spiced apple tonic with Beachtree Koala gin is just the thing, before the Wintjiri Wiru spectacular. But wait until you open your hamper...
- Sean Thompson
May 2023
13 records in New York as buyers spend up on Indigenous art
A European buyer dropped $2.3 million as a host of works sold far beyond their estimates. In Sydney, the Witch of Kings Cross proved auction magic.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
Washington DC’s new Australian embassy to host significant artworks
Visitors will be treated to an acclaimed exhibition of Western Desert art when the premises open in September.
- Matthew Cranston
A spectacular $10m drone and light show opens over Uluru
Featuring more than 1000 drones, Wintjiri Wiru is a spectacular new light display aimed at driving more tourists back to the Red Centre.
- Sean Thompson
April 2023
Museum dreaming: First Nations artists don’t need more exhibition spaces
A genuine need to make reparations for the historical abuses inflicted on Indigenous people is not best achieved by quarantining work in narrowly focused institutions.
- John McDonald
Remarkable marble flag sets standard for contemporary art
Reko Rennie, Del Kathryn Barton and a hanging flag sculpted from marble outperformed at Menzies’ Important Australian and International Art auction in Melbourne last week.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
March 2023
Women dominate in best Indigenous art sale in a decade
There was no sign of cost-of-living pressures at Deutscher and Hackett’s sale, where estimates were blitzed and total sales topped $3.2 million.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
Can Gabori’s giant contemporary Indigenous work set a record?
The artist whose works have been making waves in Europe will test a local market that has been reluctant to spend as much on Aboriginal art as international collectors.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
January 2023
Why Labor is changing the tune on arts funding
By committing an extra $286 million over four years to revive the pandemic-stricken arts sector, the government is hoping for a wider audience.
- Michael Bailey
