2019

January, 2019

Both 'National' Aboriginal Art Galleries on Hold!

Both 'National' Aboriginal Art Galleries on Hold!

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 16.01.19

What is it about projects to create a national Indigenous/Aboriginal art or cultural centre that seems perpetually doomed? Sydney thought about it for Barangaroo, Perth has talked about it. The NT got really excited when the current ALP government was...» Read More

THE WEEKEND

THE WEEKEND

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 21.01.19

What's spiriting about this Sydney Festival production is that brand new names to me in the persons of playwright Henrietta Baird and actor Shakira Clanton, and in the production company, Sydney-based Mooghalin Performing Arts were, between them, able to be...» Read More

#alwayswill be

#alwayswill be

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 21.01.19

The SBS TV spin-off, NITV is building up to a big day on 26th January with a series of top documentaries and feature films that cover some of the major stories and issues in Indigenous Australia, mostly by Aboriginal creators...» Read More

Man with the Iron Neck

Man with the Iron Neck

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 25.01.19

It takes much courage and collaboration to put the sorry saga of youth suicide amongst Australia's Aborigines on the stage. Josh Bond started this process after personal experience; the physical theatre company Legs on the Wall took up the baton...» Read More

SPINIFEX GUM

SPINIFEX GUM

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 27.01.19

Back in December, I previewed the Sydney Festival with its Indigenous director, Jandai man, Wesley Enoch: https://news.aboriginalartdirectory.com/2018/12/blak-out-at-the-sydney-festival.php He made it clear that 25th January – eve of Australia Day – would be Sydney's chance to consider a world before that...» Read More

TUCKSON AND TILLERS

TUCKSON AND TILLERS

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 30.01.19

Two essays within larger publications have caught my eye as 2019 gets underway. The first is special – a substantial catalogue for the AGNSW show of Tony Tuckson's abstract expressionism has gone further than is the norm, taking us into...» Read More

February, 2019

Discursive Announcements

Discursive Announcements

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 02.02.19

The Honours system in Australia was pretty good to the arts this Australia Day: no fewer than three ACs – the top gong - though I'm bemused at the appearance of Olivia Newton-John at that stratospheric level! Then there were...» Read More

QAGOMA Pays Tribute to Mrs Ngallametta

QAGOMA Pays Tribute to Mrs Ngallametta

Posted by Aboriginal Art Directory | 05.02.19

The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) today paid tribute to leading Australian artist Mrs Waal-Waal Ngallametta who passed away on 28 January at her home in Aurukun, Cape York. QAGOMA Director Chris Saines said Mrs Ngallametta...» Read More

ADELAIDE'S ABORIGINAL GALLERY PROGRESSES

ADELAIDE'S ABORIGINAL GALLERY PROGRESSES

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 14.02.19

Despite rumours to the contrary only last month, the South Australian government has shown clear signs that it really intends to go ahead with a project that will take it beyond just art and, unlike its Alice Springs rival, may...» Read More

INJALAK IN TROUBLE

INJALAK IN TROUBLE

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 20.02.19

It's reported by the ABC that the Injalak Art Centre at Gunbalanya in western Arnhemland has been placed in administration and that its 'Mentor Manager', Felicity Wright – a long-term art centre manager – has resigned. Only 3 years ago...» Read More

30 YEARS OF ABORIGINAL ART IN THE US

30 YEARS OF ABORIGINAL ART IN THE US

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 21.02.19

For some years now I have been suggesting that increased interest and a major market for Aboriginal art was building in America. Several private collections have gone on tour at serious art museums, individual artists like Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri have had...» Read More

DICK ROUGHSEY IS TOPS

DICK ROUGHSEY IS TOPS

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 22.02.19

Well not quite – but bloody close! Christie's, the international auctioneers, has put out three lists of “Must-See” exhibitions – in America, Europe and the Rest of the World. And, surprisingly, Mornington Island's Goobalathaldin Dick Roughsey's 'Stories of this Land'...» Read More

THE WEST

THE WEST

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 26.02.19

The West is another country – its deserts and Kimberley wilderness, wheatlands and wineries, two huge areas of mining, and a capital city built on sand that's on the edge of overcoming the feeling that it could be deserted at...» Read More

March, 2019

TJUNGUNGUTJA TO ALICE

TJUNGUNGUTJA TO ALICE

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 14.03.19

A little bit of history via my writing in 2017 when the important exhibition of the Museum & Art Gallery of the NT's collection of the earliest Papunya boards opened in Darwin. Now Tjungungutja – From Having Come Together moves...» Read More

Jarinyanu David Downs Collection Heads to NT

Jarinyanu David Downs Collection Heads to NT

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 19.03.19

In a first for an Australian public institution, a most significant collection of works by the Kimberley artist Jarinyanu David Downs (c.1920-1995) - 23 pieces in all - has been acquired by the Museum and Art Gallery of the...» Read More

ADELAIDE'S LEAPS & BOUNDS

ADELAIDE'S LEAPS & BOUNDS

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 21.03.19

With a Federal election imminent, there was Liberal consensus in Adelaide as the Federal Government announced it would deliver “$129 million for a series of projects designed to boost the cultural economy of Adelaide’s world-renowned arts, food and cultural scene”....» Read More

Parrtjima and CIAF announce 2019 plans

Parrtjima and CIAF announce 2019 plans

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 27.03.19

The official program for Parrtjima – A Festival in Light 2019 has revealed a huge 10 nights of large scale light installations, artworks, workshops, talks, films and live music for the whole family. Parrtjima will again be held in the...» Read More

Kunmanara Williams Stars at The National

Kunmanara Williams Stars at The National

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 30.03.19

I start my thoughts on the very lively new tripartite exhibition in Sydney – The National 2019 – on a sad note....the death of Mumu Mike Williams, the great artist/politician from Mimili Maku art centre in the APY Lands. His...» Read More

April, 2019

Does the Souffle Rise Twice in Alice?

Does the Souffle Rise Twice in Alice?

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 02.04.19

The Northern Territory Government insists that it is building The National Aboriginal Art Gallery in Alice Springs. And to prove an advance on what had looked a process stalled when ten responsible Aboriginal Traditional Owners of the site the Government...» Read More

An Indigenous Biennale?

An Indigenous Biennale?

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 10.04.19

Well, do we have an Indigenous Sydney Biennale or not? The third oldest Biennale in the world (after Venice and Sao Paulo) has begun to announce its artists selected for next year – opening on March 14th. Along with the...» Read More

Gagosian Goes Aboriginal

Gagosian Goes Aboriginal

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 14.04.19

The prodigious Gagosian Gallery has announced that it “is pleased to present a special exhibition of contemporary Indigenous Australian painting from two significant American collections - the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia and the Collection of...» Read More

May, 2019

Telstra NATSIAA finalists announced

Telstra NATSIAA finalists announced

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 01.05.19

68 Indigenous artists from across Australia have been selected as finalists for the 2019 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAAs), the country’s longest running and most illustrious Indigenous art awards. Telstra has announced that it is...» Read More

WHO'LL WIN THE WYNNE IN 2019?

WHO'LL WIN THE WYNNE IN 2019?

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 02.05.19

It's been 4 years since anyone but an Aboriginal artist has won the country's premier prize for landscape painting – the Art Gallery of NSW's Wynne Prize. And this year may be no different as precisely half of the selected...» Read More

GAGOSIAN OPENING TONIGHT

GAGOSIAN OPENING TONIGHT

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 03.05.19

“In a few days time an exhibition will launch in New York that will reshape the future for the Indigenous Australian art market”. That's an incredibly bold statement by Melbourne (and New York) dealer D'Lan Davidson. But then he's linked in to...» Read More

INTERESTING TIMES

INTERESTING TIMES

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 13.05.19

Every day I get a feed from Google telling me of every mention of Aboriginal art on the internet. Some days it's just a couple. Today there's Aboriginal art in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Kalgoorlie, Forbes, Myrtleford, Darwin, Bendigo, Adelaide and...» Read More

DIGGING FOR HONEY ANTS AT PAPUNYA

DIGGING FOR HONEY ANTS AT PAPUNYA

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 14.05.19

Unusual for Aboriginal Art Directory – a link with something to listen to! Recently, John Kean – an early Papunya Tula Artists staffer, researcher and frequent writer about those pioneering days at Papunya in the 70s – was asked to...» Read More

Art and the Election

Art and the Election

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 17.05.19

The arts haven't exactly been at the centre of debates during the current election campaign. Let's face it, the arts haven't turned the electoral tide since 1993 when Paul Keating discovered how enthusiastic cultural people were for his government, which...» Read More

The Gagosian Effect

The Gagosian Effect

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 20.05.19

As I predicted, the arrival of a significant Aboriginal art collection at one of the world's most prestigious art dealers – Gagosian in New York – accompanied by the name of a famous collector (and inimitable comic) Steve Martin is...» Read More

The 12th National Indigenous Arts Awards

The 12th National Indigenous Arts Awards

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 27.05.19

Tonight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and all who love the arts will celebrate the contribution of First Nations artists at the 12th National Indigenous Arts Awards being presented at the Sydney Opera House. Respected elders actor Uncle Jack...» Read More

The Spirit of Churaki

The Spirit of Churaki

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 28.05.19

They've escaped from Queensland and appeared for one night only (why??) in the Sydney Opera House as part of the Vivid Festival. And what sunny Queensland joy they brought with them – along with the sort of First Nations sensibility...» Read More

Namatjira Wins the Ramsey

Namatjira Wins the Ramsey

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 30.05.19

The vision and ingenuity of artists under 40 from across Australia is on display at the second iteration of the Ramsay Art Prize in the Art Gallery of South Australia. Held every two years, the Ramsay Art Prize invites submissions...» Read More

Marrugeku 'Dancing Forwards'

Marrugeku 'Dancing Forwards'

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 31.05.19

The Marrugeku Company has an interesting history. It grew from the non-Indigenous Stalker Company which discovered the First Nations through the innovative work, 'Mimi' – the spirits of Arnhemland wielding their wickedness on stilts! Later co-Artistic Director Rachael Swain bonded...» Read More

June, 2019

NY is the Epicentre

NY is the Epicentre

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 05.06.19

As predicted some time ago on AAD, Sotheby’s is moving its Aboriginal art auctions from London to New York in November. There contemporary canvases and historic artefacts will hang in the auction house’s revamped galleries alongside blue-chip modern and contemporary...» Read More

FAIRS FAIRS

FAIRS FAIRS

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 06.06.19

Have you noticed that no city these days seems to be able to survive without an Aboriginal art fair – held annually? Is this market demand, or is it the demand of the art centres to get more of their...» Read More

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL

Posted by Jeremy Eccles | 07.06.19

The Sydney Film Festival has had an honourable history of selecting excellent Indigenous films in recent years – with particular mention of Warwick Thornton's witty Southern Cross doco, 'We Don't Need a Map', last year's legal/political 'Wik v Queensland', Warlpiri...» Read More

Large Scale Digital Art Exhibition

Large Scale Digital Art Exhibition

Posted by Aboriginal Art Directory | 20.06.19

A large-scale 24-hour digital art exhibition featuring photographic work of Wayne Quilliam, curated by aMBUSH Gallery, will run in the bustling outdoor space of Sydney's Darling Quarter over NAIDOC Week. Called Insta-Culture, the exhibition comprises 16 images (each 2.4m x...» Read More

July, 2019

The McKenzie Powerhouse

The McKenzie Powerhouse

Posted by Aboriginal Art Directory | 22.07.19

In 2016, Elder Regina McKenzie and her daughter, Juanella, woke to the news that the Flinders Ranges in outback South Australia was being considered as a dumping site for nuclear waste from Scotland. Regina, a Traditional Owner of the Flinders...» Read More