FIRST NATIONS FINE ART AUCTION NOVEMBER 2025 Bark Paintings: Country Made Visible Essay by Dr Ksenia Radchenko When you hold a bark painting in your hands, you feel the roughness of bark, the warmth of ochre pressed into fibre, and the rhythm of a hand that worked close to the skin of a tree. The pigments breathe with the grain and curve of the bark, carrying the memory of the tree’s life. Each sheet of stringybark is peeled, cured, and rubbed smooth with stone, creating a dialogue between tree and artist that begins long before the first mark is made. The bark bends slightly as it dries, never perfectly flat, a reminder that this is a living surface, not a canvas but a skin. As Djon Mundine writes, “until recently, bark paintings were the only Aboriginal-created object approaching ‘art’ in Western eyes. They have physical resemblances to Western painting and yet also physical differences.” That difference lies not only in form but in purpose. In Arnhem Land, artists like Yirawala painted to assert “their strong spiritual attachment to the land,” to make visible ancestral law as a defence of place. “For Aboriginal people,” Mundine writes, “art is a cultural expression, a history of a people, a statement of self-definition… a truth of history, and a statement unable to be made in any other way.” Bark painting is therefore Country made visible: the land, law, and memory. [i] From the first collecting expeditions of Baldwin Spencer in 1912 to Tony Tuckson’s 1950s commissions for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, barks travelled a long route from ethnographic specimen to fine art. They were once “revered and yet simultaneously trivialised,” their makers unnamed even as their works hung in museums. By the 1960s, artists at Yirrkala used bark as a political instrument. The Yirrkala Church Panels (1962) and the Bark Petitions (1963) asserted ancestral sovereignty against mining on sacred land. Once read as anthropology, these works are now recognised as foundational to Australia’s political and visual history. In recent years, bark painters have reclaimed this medium as a site of intellectual and aesthetic innovation. Exhibitions such as  Yolŋu Power: The Art of Yirrkala  at the Art Gallery of New South Wales,  Bark Salon  at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, and  Madayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Bark Painting from Yirrkala  (2023–24), which toured major museums in the United States, have shown bark painting’s evolution from the earliest commissions to its current global resonance. These exhibitions made visible what communities have always known: these works are not relics of a past world but vital expressions of continuing knowledge. Each region gives this practice a distinct voice, yet all share the conviction that art is not an image of the world, but the world seen from within. The intricate figurative imagery of Groote Eylandt, the bold rhythmic  Jilamara  of the Tiwi Islands, the powerful presence of  Wandjina  in the Kimberley, and the politically charged patterning of Arnhem Land all speak to the diversity and endurance of this tradition. No region reveals the inner grammar of bark painting more completely than Arnhem Land, where the surface becomes an active field of law and energy. Here, the  rarrk , fine cross-hatched fields of white, yellow, and red ochre, is not a background pattern but a system of ancestral movement. In the hands of Kunwinjku artists,  rarrk  flickers like heat, delineating form while filling it with life. Arnhem Land barks often carry figures that are both anatomical and spiritual, x-ray beings whose interiors map the land itself. Yolŋu leader Djambawa Marawili explains, “Country cannot talk to you. Luckily, the ancestors thought about it and laid their  miny’tji  on Country… A knowledgeable and wise person can pick up all of those parts and show exactly how they are connected.” [ii]  Through  miny’tji , the sacred designs describing water currents, tides, lightning, and wind, Country finds a tongue. Bark is its breath. Artists of Arnhem land extend bark’s reach beyond ceremony into the global sphere while remaining grounded in the ethics of  gurrutu , the Yolŋu kinship system connecting all beings. Some now work on metal or acetate, or use bright acrylic pigments, yet their practice remains bark-born, translating the pulse of Country into new material languages. Across the water, the Tiwi Islands express their world through  Jilamara , or design. Here, the language of painting is rhythmic and abstract rather than figurative. As Anna Hart notes,  Jilamara  painted on bark, body, or  Tutini  (funerary poles) enacts remembrance and ceremony: visual patterns that connect the living and the dead. [iii]  The Tiwi palette: red, yellow, and white ochre, is applied with a  Kayimwagakimi  comb to create pulsating fields of pattern. The power of Tiwi painting lies in its restraint: there are no figures, only rhythm and structure. This visual language, pre-dating Western abstraction, transforms repetition into philosophy. On Groote Eylandt, bark painting developed a distinctive aesthetic that remains instantly recognisable: a balance of formal precision and spiritual resonance. Groote Eylandt barks are defined by their strong black grounds, against which figures and abstract motifs emerge in vivid red, white, and yellow. Outlined in yellow and filled with parallel or cross-hatched lines, these images, turtles, squids, birds, Macassan praus, and constellations, are not simply decorative but charged with totemic and ancestral meaning. Their visual order and rhythmic clarity reveal what Frederick Rose once called the “aesthetic and magical” motive of this art: compositions that refine rock art conventions into an intentional, formal language. [iv] In the far northwest, the  Wandjina  of the Kimberley appear in chalk-white forms edged with ochre, their wide eyes and closed mouths radiating presence. Ian Crawford described them as “faces of the rain,” beings whose visibility ensures renewal. As Margo Neale observed, their power endures through adaptation: migrating from ro ck to board to canvas without losing authority. [v]  The  Wandjina  do not speak; they look. Their silence is an active force, their gaze returning that of the viewer. Painting here is both image and invocation, an act of care for Country and weather alike. Rather than a precursor to later painting movements, bark painting continues alongside them, evolving and carrying forward ancestral authority. It sustains connections across time and geography, revealing the depth and continuity of cultural practice across northern Australia. As Kupka once called Australian First Nations art “the dawn of art,” his phrase fails to grasp bark’s contemporaneity, an art that never ceased evolving. Mundine reminds us that “Aboriginal people have used our diverse expression and forms to make ourselves visible as the audience for our art grows, and yet paradoxically we appear increasingly invisible.” [vi]  Bark painting continues to counter that invisibility. It is an art that holds both the mark of the hand and the weight of thought, where pigment, surface, and story remain inseparable.   1 John Mundine, “An Aboriginal Soliloquy,” in  They Are Meditating: Bark Paintings from the MCA’s Arnott’s Collection , ed. John Mundine et al. (Sydney: Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2008), 15. 2  Yolŋu Power: The Art of Yirrkala , ed. Cara Pinchbeck (Sydney: Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2025), 23 3 Anna Hart, “Body, Design, and Memory in Tiwi Jilamara,”  Art Monthly Australasia , no. 256 (2012): 24–28. 4    Lindy Allen, “The Aesthetic and Magical: Groote Eylandt Bark Painting,” in  They Are Meditating: Bark Paintings from the MCA’s Arnott’s Collection , ed. John Mundine et al. (Sydney: Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2008), 70–75. 5  Margo Neale, “Continuity and Change: The Wandjina in Contemporary Art,”  Artlink  26, no. 2 (2006): 52–57, 53. 6 Mundine, “An Aboriginal Soliloquy,” 31.

Important Works by First Nations Artists Welcome to our biannual First Nations Fine Art Auction, to be held in our Redfern gallery on the 18th of November 2025. This auction marks an exciting new chapter in the Australian art market as we introduce two pioneering initiatives: Priority Bidding and Hybrid Auctions, both designed to reimagine how collectors and vendors engage with contemporary auction practices. In addition, we have extended our viewing period to two weeks, presenting the offering both as an auction viewing and a curated exhibition. The Priority Bidding model was launched internationally by Phillips, New York only two months ago and rewards collectors who participate ahead of the auction day by securing a discounted buyer’s premium of only 15%, compared to 25–29% charged by most Australian auction houses. This initiative encourages serious collectors to engage ahead of auction day, ensuring smoother transactions and more competitive bidding outcomes. Further explanation on this process can be found on page 124. The Hybrid Auction merges the convenience and accessibility of online bidding with the excitement of a live auction, combining the best aspects of both formats. Conducted live by the auctioneer from Art Leven’s Redfern showroom, all bidding will take place remotely via phone, absentee, or online platforms, eliminating geographical barriers while retaining the energy and precision of traditional live auctions. At the time of writing this, the uncertain opening of The Stars We Do Not See exhibition in the United States, reflects a shifting international art landscape. The UBS 2025 (1) Global Art Market Report noted that the international auction market was down across all segments with the exception of the under $5,000 mark, which grew in both value (by 7%) and volume (by 13%). Our focus has turned to small yet significant pieces, reflecting the current buyer demand, aiming to separate ourselves from an art market that is often criticised for being increasingly out of touch with the contemporary buyer. Alongside conservatively valued blue-chip pieces by the likes of Mirdidingkingathi Jurwanda Sally Gabori (LOT 16) , Emily Kame Kngwarreye (LOT 17) , Rover Joolama Thomas (LOT 36) , and Lin Onus (LOT 34) , are works in more affordable price ranges, including big name artists, as well selected works by some of the movement’s rising stars. In keeping with this theme, the auction includes a selection of objects including two opalescent glass coolamons by iconic Balgo Artists, Eubena Nampitjin (LOT 11) and Bai Bai Napangardi (LOT 12) . Janice Pungautiji Murray’s Jipiyontongi bird sculpture (LOT 13) , revitalised traditional Tiwi sculpture through the medium of aluminium, a decade before Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka defined the genre. One highlight of this auction is a collection of seven hand-painted ukuleles (LOT 15) by artists including Ronnie Tjampitjinpa, Mervyn Rubuntja, George Hairbrush Tjungurrayi, as well as renowned landscape painter Luke Sciberras. Created during a series of projects facilitated by Carol Ruff for Hula Dreams: An Exhibition of Hand-Painted Ukuleles , they are accompanied by a collection of photographs of the artists as well as a working photo of ‘Australian’ photographer Greg Weight & George Hairbrush Tjungurrayi. Opening this auction are two of Lola Deli Ryan’s iconic shell-covered Sydney Harbour Bridges (LOT 1) , showcasing alternative media, a rarely represented area of the secondary market. In recent years, bark painters have reclaimed their place in the contemporary art dialog with exhibitions such as  Yolŋu Power: The Art of Yirrkala  at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (2025),  Bark Salon  at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, and  Madayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Bark Painting from Yirrkala  (2023–24), which toured major museums in the United States. These exhibitions have shown bark painting’s evolution from the earliest commissions to its current global resonance. This, in addition to significant advances in their preservation and conservational display techniques, have made bark paintings popular targets for any contemporary collection. LOTS 21–33 and 57–68 represent the diversity of Australia’s Top End artists with examples from every region known for traditional bark painting. Including the Arnhem Land master John Mawurndjul (LOT 25) , celebrated contemporary Yolŋu artist Dhambit Munuŋgurr (LOT 21) and the fine rarrk of Narritjin Maymuru (LOT 24) . From the Kimberly’s, featuring the powerful presence of Waigan Djanghara’s Wandjina (LOT 6) , to the dramatic contrasting pigments of the Groote Eylandt barks, and an Unknown Artist who renders a rhythmic portrayal of the Jilamara ceremony (LOT 28) . The cover lot features a powerful image of Rover Joolama Thomas’ Bow River Station (LOT 4) , is complemented by another work by Thomas, Yillimbiddi Country, (LOT 36) painted for Waringarri Aboriginal Arts in 1989. A personal favourite, Pinkalarta (LOT 49) painted in 2005, is the largest work ever offered at auction by Yulparija artist Alma Webou Kalaju. Ngoia Pollard Napaltjarri’s piece, Swamps near Nyrripi (LOT 38) , shimmers and mesmerises with detail alongside a serious masterwork by Warlpiri favourite Dorothy Robinson Napangardi, Karntakurlangu (LOT 39) , painstakingly painted from 2009 to 2010, is another major highlight. This season’s auction captures the extraordinary depth, innovation, and integrity of First Nations Art, from ceremonial origins to contemporary experimentation. We invite you to join us for our extended viewing and to experience, firsthand, the future of art auctions through our new Priority Bidding and Hybrid Auction platforms. (1) Note 3.4 of the Art Basel UBS 2025 Global Art Market Report. Emma Lenyszyn First Nations Fine Art Specialist October, 2025

Carol Puruntatameri (1959 - ) For Aboriginal artist Carol Puruntatameri, painting is not only a form of creative expression, but a continuation of ceremony—a way to sing to Country, call the Ancestors close, and reaffirm cultural responsibilities. Her bark paintings emerge from a living tradition that connects her directly with land, kinship, and ancestral law. Tiwi Bark Painting and Ceremony Unlike many mainland bark painters who centre ancestral narratives and Miny’tji  (sacred clan designs), Tiwi bark painting follows a distinct framework. Here, ceremonial performance, kinship, and geography converge through intricate geometric designs such as Pwanga , Jilamara , and Marlipinyini . Passed down matrilineally, these designs are worn during Kulama (coming-of-age) ceremonies and mortuary rituals. When painted on bark, they become portals to Tiwi history, memory, and cultural law. A Family of First Nations Artists Carol Puruntatameri is part of an extended family of First Nations artists who have been central to the revitalisation of Tiwi cultural expression. Among them is her uncle Paddy Freddy Puruntatameri, a senior lawman and respected artist who passed down knowledge to her from an early age. Immersed in ceremony and culture, Carol has developed a practice rooted in the old ways but carried forward with her own artistic voice. The Story of Purrukuparli A central theme in her painting is the story of Purrukuparli, the ancestral Tiwi man whose decision brought mortality into the world. According to Tiwi law, Purrukuparli’s wife Bima left their infant son Jinani in the shade while she searched for food. Distracted too long, she returned to find him dead in the heat of the sun. In grief, Purrukuparli refused Tapara the Moon Man’s offer to revive the child, instead carrying Jinani into the ocean at Yipali beach. Their footprints remain visible at low tide. From this story, death became a part of human existence. Tapara escaped into the sky to become the crescent moon, whose scars are reminders of this moment. For the Tiwi people, this creation story explains the balance between life and death, much as Adam and Eve do in Christianity. Painting as Indigenous Art and Ceremony Carol Puruntatameri’s bark paintings are defined by finely controlled dotting and precise line work that draw inspiration from Jilamara , the body designs painted during mourning, celebration, and initiation. Her brushwork translates the rhythms of ancestral dance and Tiwi songlines into painted form. As the artist explains: “I’m painting the old ways for the new generation.” In this way, her Indigenous art is not simply a visual record, but a continuation of ceremonial practice and cultural law. Materials from Country All of Carol’s materials are prepared in accordance with Tiwi tradition. Bark is harvested from stringybark trees on Melville Island and flattened in the wet season. Ochres are dug from Country, ground into pigment, and mixed with water and natural fixatives. Brushes are made from pandanus root or human hair. Each step of the process affirms Carol’s connection to land, Ancestors, and cultural responsibility. Biography Carol Puruntatameri (1959– ) is a Tiwi Aboriginal artist from Yermalner (Melville Island) in the Northern Territory of Australia. Her bark paintings, particularly those depicting the story of Purrukuparli, are recognised as powerful statements of Tiwi identity, history, and cultural continuity. Her work is part of a broader movement of Indigenous art that preserves ceremonial knowledge while engaging with the contemporary world. For Carol, each bark painting is an act of survival and transmission: “Ngarukuruwala Kapi Murrakupuni means ‘we sing to the land.’ That’s what we’re doing when we paint—we’re calling our ancestors to walk with us.”

TIMO HOGAN (1973 - ) Lake Baker (diptych) , 2023 acrylic on linen 290 x 400 cm (overall); 290 x 200 cm (each panel) POA Region: Tjuntjuntjara (Spinifex Homelands) WA Language: Pitjantjatjara RPOVENANCE: Spinifex Arts Project, WA Cat No. 23-83 Salon Art Projects, Darwin NT Private collection, United Kingdom EXHIBITED Tarnanthi - Timo Hogan: Kumpilpa Ngaranyi - Unseen, Light Square Gallery, Adelaide, October 2023  This is Lake Baker. This is a big place, a big lake. Big and white. That’s him there. That’s the Wanampi (water serpent). Wati Wanampi. Watersnake man. He is there at this lake. This is his place. He lives here. All this place is white and that watersnake man is white … Always the same place, Lake Baker. That’s because it’s my place. My father’s place . Timo Hogan for AGSA Image: Timo Hogan, 2021 Telstra Art Award Winner, Lake Baker 2020. Photo: Philip Gostelow Timo Hogan (b. 1973) was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and is a Pitjantjatjara man of the Spinifex people. Raised between Mount Margaret and Warburton, he inherited deep cultural knowledge from his father and maintains a strong spiritual and ancestral connection to his Country. Now based in Tjuntjuntjara, a remote community in the Great Victoria Desert, Hogan is a leading figure in the Spinifex Arts Project—an artist collective established as part of the Spinifex people's land rights movement, known for its powerful visual declarations of custodianship and cultural authority. Hogan’s work is centred entirely on his custodial responsibility for Lake Baker (Tjukurla), a remote salt lake near the Western Australian and South Australian border. His paintings are not landscape in a Western sense, but expressions of Tjukurpa (Ancestral Law), particularly the Wati Kutjara (Two Men) creation story and Wanampi, the ancestral water serpent believed to dwell in the lake’s depths. Hogan holds cultural authority over this site, and through his paintings, asserts that connection with solemnity and precision. Minimal in composition yet immense in presence, his paintings evoke the expanse, silence, and power of the lake. Through refined use of negative space, fluid contours and a restrained, often monochromatic palette, Hogan creates works that are both visually arresting and deeply meditative. His paintings carry a distinct sense of place—mapping both physical geography and spiritual significance. This refined visual language has earned him critical acclaim, including the prestigious 2021 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. One of his most ambitious works to date, Lake Baker (2023), is a monumental two-panel painting measuring 400 x 290 cm. Using subtle layers of acrylic on linen, Hogan renders the shimmering salt lake with a sense of vastness and reverence. Soft white fields stretch across the canvas, interrupted by rhythmic lines and subtle tonal shifts that suggest the shoreline, waterholes, and ancestral movement. The work references the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa and Wanampi without literal depiction—their presence felt through compositional balance, movement, and stillness. As with all of Hogan’s paintings, Lake Baker is not only a portrait of place but a living document of cultural continuity. Held in major public collections including the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Victoria, Hogan’s work affirms his place as a significant voice in contemporary Australian art—bringing a sacred, rarely seen landscape into national and international view, on his terms.

FIRST NATIONS FINE ART AUCTION | 17 JUNE 2025 @Greg Weight EMILY KAME KNGWARREYE (1910 - 1996) Also known as: Kngarreye, Ngwaria, Emily Kam Kngwarray Community: Utopia, Soakage Bore Outstation: Alhalkere Language: Anmatyerre Art Centre: Utopia Arts and Batik Anmatyerr woman Emily Kame Kngwarreye (Emily Kam Kngwarray) was born in Alhalker on the edge of Utopia cattle station. Preceding her professional artistic career in the late 1980’s, she worked as a batik artist for 10 years. Her career as a painter was as prolific as it was passionate; after only a few short years she had established herself internationally. She died in September 1996 leaving behind a profound and invaluable legacy which continues to grow. Over the course of her brief but prolific eight-year painting career, Kngwarreye moved through a series of distinct artistic periods. From 1989 until 1991 she painted intimate compositions, tracing plant roots interspersed with animal tracks under fine, sharp-dotted colour fields. Lot 17, Ankara Merne-Intekwe was painted in March of 1990 for her first solo exhibition and is one of the finest examples from this period. The subject, Intekwe, is considered among the most significant and distinct subjects in Kngwarreye’s oeuvre. Only a few works have been given the title of the small native bush plum that sustains the emu. The Intekwe plant (Scaevola parvifolia), is so inextricably interwoven with Kngwarreye’s identity that upon her death, Interkwe was never painted by any other artist. As her niece Violet Petyarre explained: My Auntie used to paint the fan-flower, and now we all leave that one alone. Auntie used to paint it, that one belonging to the emu. That was her own thing. Even though we all belong to the one Country, we paint separate things. These highly prized early works gave way to running dotted lines over ethereal landscapes consisting of parallel horizontal and vertical stripes representing ceremonial body painting. By 1993, Kngwarreye was painting floral imagery in a profusion of colour, often achieved by double dipping her brushes into different layers of paint. In 1995 and 1996, her painting series Anooralya (Yam) and Sacred Grasses showcase a transition from her linear body paint imagery to the expressive depiction of rambling yam roots. Kngwarreye’s Final Series consists of 24 revelatory canvases painted with large flat brushes just two weeks before her passing in 1996, mark a powerful culmination of her artistic journey. In Summer Abundance V , painted in December of 1993 (Lot 18), the application of yellow and green colours highlights the varied and changing hues in the life cycle of the Anooralya Yam and other food plants found near Alalgura on Utopia Station, west of Delmore Downs. From an aerial perspective, we see the sporadic clustered growth after a summer rain. The flourish of growth that follows is exceptional and rapid. While her preoccupation was with both the life cycle of the yam and the women’s ceremonies that celebrate its importance, Kngwarreye painted many interrelated themes, using these subjects to illustrate her Country as a whole. In an interview with Rodney Gooch, translated by Kathleen Petyarre, Kngwarreye described her subject as: Whole lot, that’s all, whole lot, awelye, arlatyeye, ankerrthe, ntange, dingo, ankerre, intekwe, anthwerle and kame. That’s what I paint: whole lot. My Dreaming, pencil yam, mountain devil lizard, grass seed, dingo, emu, small plant emu food, green bean and yam seed. Posthumously, Kngwarreye’s phenomenal body of work was chronologically curated in Margo Neale’s groundbreaking exhibition Utopia: The Genius of Emily Kngwarreye at the National Museum of Australia in 2007 and The National Gallery of Tokyo in 2008. Kngwarreye’s iconic work, Earth’s Creation I , was selected by Okwui Enwezor to be exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2015. In recent years, Kngwarreye’s work has experienced a renewed acclaim, due in part to several significant commercial and institutional exhibitions, including Emily Kam Kngwarray  curated by Hettie Perkins and Kelli Cole for the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) and Emily: Desert Painter  held at the influential Gagosian Gallery Paris in 2023. In July of this year, the Tate Modern in London will hold a major solo retrospective, marking the most significant international exhibition dedicated to an ‘Australian’ artist. LOT 17 Ankara Merne - Intekwe, 1990 122 x 92 cm; 126 x 96 cm (framed) acrylic on linen Estimate: $450,000 - $550,000 PROVENANCE Painted in Utopia, March 1990 CAAMA Shop (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association), Alice Springs, NT Cat No. 21-390 Utopia Art, Sydney NSW Private collection, Vic Essay by Christopher Hodges Emily Kngwarreye’s First Solo Show was held at Utopia Art Sydney in April 1990. Not surprisingly it attracted attention from contemporary collectors from across the country, a few curators and a lot of artists, many of whom still express their deep regret at an opportunity missed! Utopia Art Sydney in those days was at Stanmore at the top of two flights of stairs, and this painting was the first to come into view as you entered the gallery. Ankara Merne - Intekwe was catalogue number 6 in an exhibition of 19 paintings. It was snapped up on the opening day and its been in the same hands ever since. Rodney Gooch, Emily Kngwarreye and I had discussed the concept of a solo exhibition the previous year, and Kngwarreye began work on the show soon after but this was one of the last works to be finished for the show, painted in March 1990. It is an outstanding example from this period. Layer upon layer of fine dotting subtly reveals the underlying structure below. Earthy pinks and ochres form undulating, shifting fields. Touches of red and yellow ochre, and highlights of black and white, meld together to form a rich deep space that draws you in. You can see the very Kngwarreye touch of a few extra dots here and there that add spark and mystery to the composition. You can feel the artist working through the layers, energising the field with every mark. The sides of the canvas are painted too, with the stripes which we know represent body paint or ‘awelye’. They border the composition and though not visible when looking head on, they nevertheless add to the real presence this painting exudes. These borders were a special element that was soon to disappear, until the major breakthrough paintings of 1994 when the ‘awelye’ took centre stage. Today this painting is an absolute classic of its era, fine dotting with endless variation. Offered for the first time since it was collected 35 years ago, perfect provenance, from her First Solo Show. It’s a joy to see it again. Don’t miss the opportunity this time! Christopher Hodges April, 2025 LOT 18 SUMMER ABUNDANCE V, 1993 90 x 120 cm; 92 x 122 cm (framed) acrylic on linen $150,000 - $200,000 PROVENANCE Delmore Gallery, NT Cat No. 93L050 The Thomas Vroom Collection, The Netherlands Bonhams, Aboriginal Art: The Thomas Vroom Collection, Sydney, NSW, September 2015, Lot No. 207 Private collection, Vic Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Delmore Gallery Bears inscription verso: commissioned by Delmore Gallery via Alice Springs NT, 93L050, Emily Kngwarreye

FIRST NATIONS FINE ART AUCTION II JUNE 2025 This curated selection of exemplary boards from the seminal stages of the Papunya movement. They are a fine representation what is widely considered to be the birthplace of the modern First Nations art movement as we know it. The magic of these first paintings is in their direct link to their sacred, functional, and ceremonial origins. The paintings are direct translations of drawings in the sand onto canvas or board. In many cases, they represent some of the first archival recordings of an over 65,000-year-old culture. Much has been written about the genesis of the painting movement in Papunya during the early 1970s. It may in fact be the most documented and studied area of ‘Australian’ First Nations fine art, thanks in part to the expansive documentation and first-hand accounts of Geoffrey Bardon, the school teacher who helped create Papunya Tula Artists with the original group of approximately 20 ‘painting men.’ The group included John Kipara Tjakamarra (Lot 11), Old Walter Tjampitjinpa (Lots 12, 13, 15), Anatjari No. III Tjakamarra (Lot 14), and Long Jack Philippus Tjakamarra (Lot 16). LOT 11 | JOHN KIPARA TJAKAMARRA (c.1932 - 2002) WALINNGI (WOMEN CATCHING A SNAKE) , 1973 57 x 34 cm; 73 x 60 cm (framed) synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board $30,000 - $40,000 PROVENANCE Painted at Papunya, NT in 1973 Papunya Tula Artists, NT Cat No. JJ731226 Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, ACT Anvil Gallery, Albury, NSW Private collection, NSW Sotheby’s Australia, Melbourne, Vic, April 1991, Lot No. 60 Private collection, NSW Adhered verso: the Aboriginal Arts and Crafts Pty. Ltd. certificate and accompanied by the original Sotheby’s receipt EXHIBITED Aboriginal Art from Papunya, The Anvil Gallery, Albury, NSW, 1974 The influence of those formative years extends well beyond the original Papunya Tula artistic circle. It is visible not only in subsequent generations of Papunya Tula artists — such as Willy Tjungarrayi (Lot 26), Ronnie Tjampitjinpa (Lots 9, 53, 76) and Willie Tjapanangka (Lot 27) but also in the majority of paintings presented in this auction. This legacy reveals itself through shared stylistic elements, the continued use of traditional materials and techniques, and, finally, in the frameworks through which these paintings are now understood and appreciated. LOT 26 | WILLY TJUNGURRAYI (c.1936 - 2018) KIRITJINYA, TINGARI YOUNG MEN STORY , 1976 60.5 x 45.5 cm; 70 x 55 cm (framed) acrylic on canvas board $9,000 - $11,000 PROVENANCE Papunya Tula Artists, NT Cat No. WJ761071 Private Collection, Vic Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Papunya Tula Artists Bears inscription verso: Willy Tjungurrayi, KirKirity Kurudji, Tingari (young man) story, WJ761071, 15/14/ONII/5 When reflecting on this period, it is important to recognise that many of the artists had once lived traditional, nomadic lives—disrupted by the brutal assimilation policies imposed by the coloniser. The Papunya settlement, established in 1959, was a direct outcome of this policy. People from diverse language groups, including Luritja, Pintupi, Anmatyerr, Warlpiri, and Western Aranda, were forcibly removed from their sacred lands and gathered into the settlement. By many accounts, Papunya was marked by a collective feeling of deep loss and depression, its inhabitants severed from the cultural and spiritual landscapes that had sustained them for generations. By 1970, a vast generational divide grew between the elders, whose lives were shaped by a reality that no longer existed, and a younger generation that had lived the majority of their life in the Papunya settlement without having experienced the traditional nomadic way of life. In response to this cultural rupture, a number of senior men (soon to become the painting group) painted a series of murals on the Papunya school walls. These aimed to transmit cultural knowledge and reconnect younger generations with their heritage. The most significant of these was the Honey Ant Dreaming mural, a story shared by the various language groups residing in the settlement. From this moment, the artists transitioned from wall paintings to boards, developing a visual language through which ancestral stories could be preserved and passed on. LOT 27 | WILLIE TJAPANANGKA (1938 - 1979) EMU DREAMING STORY , 1977 40.5 x 30.5 cm; 46 x 36 cm (framed) acrylic on canvas board $6,000 - $8,000 PROVENANCE Papunya Tula Artists, NT Cat No. WB77804 Private collection, Vic Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Papunya Tula Artists Bears inscription verso: Willie Jabanunka, 15/25/WOII/5, 77804 Geoffrey Bardon quickly developed close relationships with the ‘painting men’. Through an open and respectful exchange, over time, he came to learn many elements of the stories they painted and the symbolic structures that underpinned them. This knowledge contributed to the creation of a foundational visual lexicon that remains profoundly relevant today. Many of the early paintings were accompanied by handwritten notes and diagrams, sometimes attached to the reverse of the artworks, providing insight into the complex meanings embedded within the imagery. By the 1980s, with Andrew Crocker taking the helm of the company in 1979, the highly annotated and didactic methods of description used by Papunya Tula Artists up to that point gave way to the more abstracted language of the wider fine art world. This new approach often cast a vague mystical sheen over the art form rather than disseminating its individual symbolic elements. Vivienne Johnson described the move as a “revolutionary shift away from the […]previous emphasis on the cultural significance of the paintings […] Crocker’s flamboyant style and this promotional strategy were effective in attracting the art world’s attention to works that had previously been thought of only in the context of ethnographic museums.”   ¹ LOT 13 | OLD WALTER TJAMPITJINPA (c.1910 - 1981) WOMEN AND SNAKES , 1973 43.5 x 23cm; 52 x 30.5 cm (framed) synthetic polymer paint on composition board $20,000 - $30,000 PROVENANCE Painted at Papunya, NT in 1973 Papunya Tula Artists, NT Cat No. 735705 Private collection, NSW Sotheby’s, Important Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, Vic, June 1999, Lot No. 311 Private collection, WA Thence by descent The Jory Family Collection, Qld Bears annotated diagram verso (right) In a statement prepared for display at Papunya Tula exhibitions, Crocker wrote: “Much could be said about the genesis of the Western Desert School and also of its role in the artists’ society. I think that for the purposes of this exhibition the paintings should be allowed to exercise their own aesthetic appeal and that explanations of content and symbolism be best kept to a minimum.” This auction presents an outstanding selection of early boards, all created by founding artists of Papunya’s art movement. Included are three exceptional early boards by Old Walter Tjampitjinpa, who was one of Geoffrey Bardon’s closest friends and confidants among the painting men. Tjampitjinpa played a pivotal role in shaping Bardon’s understanding of the emerging visual language, and his paintings remain central to the history of the movement. LOT 12 | OLD WALTER TJAMPITJINPA (c.1910 - 1981) WATER STORY , 1972 46 x 31 cm (irregular); 68 x 53 cm (framed) synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board $50,000 - $70,000 PROVENANCE Painted at Papunya, NT in 1972 Stuart Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT Cat No. 12001 Private collection, New York, USA Sotheby’s, Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, Vic, July 2004, Lot No. 409 Private collection, WA Thence by descent The Jory Family Collection, Qld Adhered verso: a certificate of authenticity from Stuart Art Centre with an annotated diagram ILLUSTRATED Geoffrey Bardon and James Bardon, Papunya: A Place Made after the Story (Miegunyah Press, 2004), p.187 (right) Old Walter was something of a gentle and kind patron in my gradually improving understanding of the Aboriginal way of life. Later he told me that he was the custodian of the Water Dreaming and his many variations on this theme afforded me knowledge of ceremonial sites and special places […] 2 Both Lot 12 (Water Story, 1972) and Lot 15 (Water Story, 1972) are stunning examples of the classic Water Dreaming. Stylistically, the key distinction between these two works lies in their approach to colour and composition. While Lot 12 is rich with dense, high-contrast dot work in vivid colours, Lot 15 adopts a more restrained palette, with finely dotted elements throughout, resulting in a minimal and more subtle composition. […] it was for Old Walter, because of his kindliness, that I felt a strong affection. He spoke in a garbled and very brief and humble manner, repeating in his paintings the simple, classic Water Man and running water images, quietly, yet with a marvellous concentration. His painting was an expression of his eternal and universal response to phenomena such as the desert storms at Kalipimpinpa. 3 LOT 15 | OLD WALTER TJAMPITJINPA (c.1910 - 1981) UNTITLED (WATER DREAMING) , 1972 61 x 40.5 cm (irregular); 72 x 51 cm (framed) synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board $50,000 - $70,000 PROVENANCE Painted at Papunya, NT in 1972 Stuart Art Centre, NT Cat No. 19218 Private collection, SA Sotheby’s, Important Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, Vic, June 1999, Lot No. 192 Private collection, WA Thence by descent The Jory Family Collection, Qld Bears inscription verso: ‘19218’ Also featured is a remarkable 1973 board by Anatjari No. III Tjakamarra (Lot 14), who was a foundational figure in the movement’s emergence, renowned for his meticulous technique and refined aesthetic. As Bardon observed, Anatjari worked with great care, employing fine sable brushes to achieve a crystalline precision in his paintings. His compositions were, rich in decorative cross hatching and dotting, intricate ceremonial designs transposed onto canvas and board, all the while drawing from the traditions of sand painting and body decoration. LOT 14 | ANATJARI No. III TJAKAMARRA (c.1938 - 1992) ORIGINS OF SOAKAGES , 1973 92 x 22.5 cm; 101 x 31.5 cm (framed) synthetic polymer paint on composition board $30,000 - $40,000 PROVENANCE Painted at Papunya, NT in 1973 Papunya Tula Artists, NT Cat No. A730808 Private collection, Vic Sotheby’s, Fine Australian, Aboriginal and International Paintings, Melbourne, Vic, November 1999, Lot No. 478 Private collection, Vic Sotheby’s, Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, Vic, July 2004, Lot No. 410 Private collection, WA Thence by descent The Jory Family Collection, Qld Adhered verso: a certificate of authenticity from Papunya Tula Artists with annotated diagram Finally, Long Jack Philippus Tjakamarra’s Water Dreaming (Lot 16), painted in 1971, the very first year of the Papunya painting movement and part of the fourth consignment of paintings is perhaps the highlight of the collection. This highly significant and beautiful board is illustrated in Geoffrey Bardon’s seminal book, Papunya - A Place Made after the Story (p.171) and is explicitly referred to in Bardon’s profile of the artist in the beginning of the book. Tjakamarra was an essential member of the original painting group, advising and assisting with the creation of the murals that ignited the movement, he painted on the walls of the school where Geoffrey Bardon taught. “He [Tjakamarra] represented the goodness and givingness always within the Aboriginal people.” 4 Samuel Sterneborg, 2025 LOT 16 | LONG JACK PHILIPPUS TJAKAMARRA (1932 - 2020) WATER DREAMING , 1971 44.5 x 22.5 cm; 67.5x 44.5 cm (framed) synthetic polymer powder paint on composition board $50,000 - $70,000 PROVENANCE Painted at Papunya, NT in November/December 1971 Stuart Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT Cat No. SAC 4 1 (Consignment 4, painting 1) Private collection, NSW Sotheby’s, Important Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, Vic, June 2002, Lot No. 166 Private collection, WA Thence by descent The Jory Family Collection, Qld Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity with annotated diagram and two letters from Geoffrey Bardon Bears inscription verso: Cat No. SAC 4 1; 3” T+S; 3 1/2 B: NAT ILLUSTRATED Geoffrey Bardon and James Bardon, Papunya: A Place Made after the Story (Miegunyah Press, 2004), p.171 (left) The elemental forms of line, dot and circle show the Water Dreaming: the line represents running water, the dotting the rain and the circles waterholes in the landscape. The traditional ‘U’ form is the Ceremonial Water Man invoking the rain. The simplicity of the design is of the earliest style used at Papunya during my time and is not unlike its sand mosaic and body paint origins. - Geoffrey Bardon ¹ Vivienne Johnson’s essay in Genesis and Genius, p.192 ² Geoffrey Bardon, Papunya Tula - Art of the Western Desert, 1991, p.28-29 ³ Geoffrey Bardon, Papunya - A Place Made after a Story, 2004, p.74 4 Geoffrey Bardon, Papunya - A Place Made after a Story, 2004, p.84

Important Works by First Nations Artists Welcome to our June 17 First Nations Fine Art Auction, featuring a thoughtfully curated selection of 82 notable works by artists of exceptional cultural and artistic influence. This auction takes place at a time of heightened global interest in First Nations art, spurred in part by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.’s announcement of their forthcoming landmark Indigenous exhibition, The Stars We Do Not See, opening this October. Featuring over 200 artworks on loan from the National Gallery of Victoria, this will be the largest international exhibition of Indigenous Art in the USA. The exhibition is set to tour from Washington, D.C. to Colorado, Oregon, Massachusetts and Ontario, Canada. In response to this momentum, we have assembled a collection grounded in rigorous research and supported by documented provenance, in accordance with current Australian institutional acquisition standards. While there is an ongoing and important conversation about revisiting provenance policies and recognising artists as individual agents, this auction has been curated within the existing institutional framework, ensuring all works are eligible for acquisition under current guidelines. The highlight of this sale is Lot 17: Ankara Merne - Intekwe (1990), a remarkable painting by Emily Kame Kngwarreye (Emily Kam Kngwarray) from her first solo exhibition held in 1990 at Utopia Art Sydney. This archetypal work, commissioned by Rodney Gooch for the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA), is accompanied by an essay from Christopher Hodges outlining the importance of this work and its historical significance. The plant depicted, Intekwe, was considered so innately linked to Emily’s being that no other Anmatyerre artist has been permitted to paint it since her passing. This rare and exceptional work carries an estimate of $450,000 – $550,000. Another outstanding painting by Kngwarreye is  Summer Abundance V (Lot 18), from the prestigious Thomas Vroom Collection—an identifiable piece reflecting a pinnacle time in her career that carries a more modest estimate of $150,000 – $200,000. The representation of artists from Utopia is expanded through significant early career works by Minnie Pwerle (Lot 20), Gloria Petyarre (Lot 79), Kathleen Petyarre (Lot 52), and Kathleen Ngal (Lot 21). This lineage is followed to a more contemporary work by Angelina Ngal, whose luminous celestial diptych Wild Plum is offered as Lot 19, with an estimate of $40,000–$60,000. A particularly exciting feature of this auction is the early 1970s Papunya collection assembled by the former Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Architecture at the University of Western Australia (UWA), Professor John Jory. Focused on the foundational years of the Western Desert painting movement, this collection offers rare insights into a pivotal moment in ‘Australian’ art history. Works from this formative period are becoming increasingly scarce on the secondary market as they are acquired by institutions, making future opportunities to purchase them exceedingly rare. Among the highlights from Jory’s collection is Water Dreaming, 1971 (Lot 16) by Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra, an important early work from the fourth commercial consignment of Papunya paintings sent to the Stuart Art Centre under Pat Hogan’s pioneering initiative. Other exceptional pieces include two 1972 Old Walter Tjampitjinpa boards also from the Water Story series Lot 12 and Lot 15, both estimated at $50,000–$70,000, alongside rarely seen early paintings by John Kipara Tjakamarra, titledWalinngi, 1973 (Lot 11) and Anatjari No.III Tjakamarra, Origins of Soakages, 1973 (Lot 14). The auction also includes two significant works by Rover Joolama Thomas. Small Creek Near Turkey Creek, 1990 (Lot 25), was painted during his collaboration with Perth-based dealer Mary Macha, a key supporter of the East Kimberley school and is estimated at $90,000–$100,000. Lot 10, created two years later for Waringarri Arts—the Miriwoong community’s art centre—is guided by the same deep connection to Country and is estimated at $30,000–$40,000. Joolama’s close friend and fellow artist Queenie McKenzie is represented by Lot 36, Limestone Hills, Texas (1995), while his mentor, Jack Britten, is featured with a striking suite of works collectively titled the Country Series, offered as Lot 54. Beyond these major works, several pieces stand out for their unique artistic perspectives. Among them is Lot 24, Motionless Fish by Yorta Yorta artist Lin Onus—a subtle and evocative gouache that captures a meditative stillness and quiet complexity from his iconic water series. Lot 7 features Living Water at Pikarong by Lydia Balbal, reigning winner of the Telstra NATSIAA Painting Award, whose minimal aesthetic powerfully evokes Country. Also of note is Lot 22, an exquisitely beautiful work by contemporary Balgo Hills artist Patsy Mudgedell, offered with an estimate of $16,000–$22,000. Concluding the highlights are works by various artists that stand out for their superior execution, including Betty Kuntiwa Pumani (Lot 51), Boxer Milner (Lot 6), Kunmanara (Ray) Ken (Lot 48), Eubena Nampitjin (Lot 47) and Dorothy Napangardi (Lot 28) to name just a few. With an estimated total value of between $1.42 and $1.85 million, this collection represents works that are both historically important and institutionally relevant. We are honoured to present this outstanding selection and invite you to explore the depth and cultural significance of the works on offer. We look forward to welcoming you to the viewing at Art Leven housed on Gadigal Country. Emma Lenyszyn First Nations Fine Art Specialist May, 2025

"My Bush Plum paintings represent the whole thing: all of Country.”   Born sometime between 1939 and 1947 (records are uncertain), Angelina Ngal (Ngale, Kngale), also known as Angelina Pwerle 1 , is one of the most celebrated artists from the Utopia region in central ‘Australia’. A senior Anmatyerr woman who continues to create highly intricate, minimalist artworks. Ngal and Pwerle are not last names in the Western sense of a shared family name, but skin-names referring to her kinship relationships. Utopia sits on the language boundary between Anmatyerr and Alyawarr, In Alyawarr country, Angelina is referred to as Pwerle, and in Anmatyerr country, she is referred to as Ngal. When asked about the difference between the two skin names, Angelina told author Chrischona Schmidt: “Pwerle is the same as Ngale, just in another language.” 2 Interestingly, the artist speaks only Anmatyerr and would therefore likely refer to herself as Ngal, while some institutions, including New York’s MoMa prefer the use of Pwerle. Angelina was married to Louie Pwerle, who was an artist in his own right, the elder brother of Cowboy Louie Pwerle. The artist’s creative journey began in 1977, producing batiks under the instruction of Yipati, a Pitjantjatjara artist from Ernabella and Suzie Bryce, a craft instructor. Then later through the Utopia Women’s Batik Group alongside her sisters, Kathleen and Polly Ngal. During the pivotal 1988–1989 CAAMA Summer Project, she transitioned to acrylic painting, transferring her refined batik-making skills onto canvas. Her first paintings were included in the groundbreaking Utopia Women’s Art exhibition in Alice Springs in 1990, marking her entry into the broader art world. Angelina’s art is rooted in her grandfather’s Country, Aharlper, and centres on Anwekety (Bush Plum Dreaming), a subject of profound cultural, social, and ceremonial significance. “I paint anwekety – bush plum. Little flowers ... after the rain and seeds. That’s my country, Ahalper.”   3  Her paintings convey themes of nourishment— both physical and spiritual—and celebrate the interconnectedness of land, knowledge, and memory. Early paintings feature clusters of red dots symbolising the Bush Plum, surrounded by layers of meticulously rendered coloured dots. Over time, her style evolved into finely detailed, abstract compositions that hint at sacred landmarks, ceremonial activities, and the ephemeral beauty of the landscape. Despite her steady rise in international prominence, Angelina Ngal’s recognition in ‘Australia’ has been comparatively slow. Her work has featured in prestigious exhibitions such as Marking the Infinite: Contemporary Women Artists from Aboriginal Australia  (USA and Canada, 2016-2019), Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now  at the National Gallery of Australia, and The Shape of Time: Art and Ancestors of Oceania  at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which toured internationally as well as being showcased at Art Basel Miami in 2021. Her paintings are held in major public and private collections worldwide, including the National Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan, and The Debra and Dennis Scholl Collection in Miami, USA. What sets Ngal apart from her contemporaries is her exceptional ability to capture the essence of her Country and Altyerr, a skill particularly evident in her intricate dot paintings that vividly evoke Ahalper and Anwekety. According to the artist herself, “This is a constant engagement. This is a spiritual connection to place [...] My Bush Plum paintings represent the whole thing: all of Country.” 4 As noted in the Financial Times, she is an insider’s secret, “If [Emily] Kngwarreye is the A-lister and [Daniel] Walbidi is the rising star, then Angelina Pwerle is the cult favourite – one on whom a growing number of institutions and collectors are quietly placing bets.” 5 Mirri Leven, 2025 1 2 3 Schmidt, Chrischona. “Angelina Pwerle: An artist from Utopia”. Art Monthly Australasia (292): p. 34–39. August 30 2021 4 5 Stapleton, Dan F. “In praise of Australian Aboriginal art – ‘the oldest surviving culture in the world’” Financial Times. January 28 2022

Stephen Brameld and Jay Staples have mastered the practice of collaborative painting. Though extensively exhibited on the West Coast, this will be the artists’ first solo presentation in Gadigal (Sydney), hence the the show’s simple title - ‘ New Works By ’, although the name also carries an element of tongue-in-cheek. “This exhibition has not been produced lineally or intensively, but rather the collection has revealed itself to us over the last 4 years. These are heavily processed objects that have had many previous incarnations. There’s always many works in circulation that get pulled in and out of the painting frame, some works have been in the system for close to five years.” A common pitfall for painters working collaboratively is a tendency to overcrowd an image with distinctly separate stylistic elements. The imagery ist often jarring as composition buckles under the weight of warring egos. Conversely, much of ‘Australian’ First Nations art has traditionally been a largely collaborative practice. Not only were the subjects and stories shared and guarded within community groups, but, before being commodified, their execution, too, was often a collaborative endeavour. Even now, most artistic practices still pursue goals separate from personal gain (more often than not, funds are quickly distributed among communities) or creative credit and fame. If anything, elder artists are revered for the breadth and depth of their cultural knowledge rather than something as abstract as a painting ‘career’. The stories and figures in these artworks are collectively owned and their depictions are intended to share this knowledge. As in many other aspects of society, these practises foster an environment of connection, commonly placing value on community over the self. In this context, the creation of art is collaborative by definition.  In comparison, Western culture will largely elevate the individual over the collective. Art-making especially, is framed as a lonely pursuit. Yet, collaborative creation necessitates a degree of separation from the ego.  Brameld and Staples, too, aim for something outside of themselves. “[…] we feel like we are working towards common ground, a shared vision doesn’t emerge per se, but it feels as though we are able to work off each other towards a collective vision.” Up close, their process can appear almost violent. Where some painters may take turns approaching the easel, making a few marks, and yielding to the other, Brameld and Staples set upon their canvas* simultaneously and with swift, almost frantic movements, at times breaking into furious flurries of relentless brushstrokes. “Processing concluded with a circular saw run through the middle of it[…]”**  With no set goal, the path can be a battle of attrition, requiring patience as well as sacrifice (it is common for a project to be destroyed, sometimes for its parts to be rearranged, or to become an organ donor to the benefit of other works). “They speak to the clarity provided by perseverance, the benefit of working through something.” While much gets buried under paint or covered with debris, cut out or turned inside out, nothing goes to waste during the act. Every absence is a meaningful element of the work, and the evidence remains visible in the richly layered and deeply scarred surfaces. Yet, from the chaos emerge  delicately balanced compositions that can appear almost minimalist. To say that the two artists mirror the act of conversation in their practice can feel, to some degree, reductive. In the process of a work’s creation, the two artists’ brushstrokes gain the immediacy of a thousand half-formed notions and budding ideas flowing freely between two minds unburdened of the constricting process of assigning them names. Not only do they seemingly translate the act of thinking into a physical act, they turn it into a dance of conscious and unconscious thought. “There’s never an obvious solution, it needs to sneak  up on you, and somehow we both see it.” – Essay by Sam Sterneborg *’canvas’ used here in the broader sense, considering the variety of media used **in reference to ‘Football Guernsey’, 2024, p.12-15

Bonnie Connelly  Nakara was born in 1936, at Illurpa, a place near Blackstone in the Ngaanyatjarra lands, Western Australia.  Her family moved to the Walka area when she was young. Walka is a significant site as it at the confluence of the Tjala   Tjukkurpa ( Honey Ant Country) and the Minyma Kutjara Tjukkurpa  (Two Women creation story). Both depicted in Bonnie’s paintings.  Using a delicate dry-brush technique, Nakara brings to life the rich textures of the desert landscape that she has called home for a lifetime. Born near Papulankuja (Blackstone in Western Australia), she has traveled extensively across the remote Ngaanyatjarra lands, drawing inspiration from her deep cultural knowledge, ancestral connections, and the vast familial networks that weave through the desert. Adults from left to right: Alison, Dianne, Marlene, and children at the cave at Walka, and at Minyma Kutjara site, 17 December 2025 Photo  by Remy Faint. Minyma Kutjara  (Two Women) Tjukurrpa—a significant creation story that maps the land from South Australia through the Central Desert to Kaltukatjara (Docker River) in the Northern Territory. This powerful narrative, central to women’s law and ceremony carrying immense cultural significance. T he Minyma Kutjara  (Two Women) story is unique to the Walka area. It is a creation story that follows two sisters as they separate from their ten siblings and journey deep into the country. Bonnie's children walking to the Minyma Kutjara  site, 17 December 2025. Photo by Remy Faint.  Their journey takes them to Walka, known as Tjalaku-Ngurra  (Honey Ant Country), where the sisters stop to dig for honey ants. One sister kneels to dig while carrying a coolamon—a shallow, curved-sided dish—on her head to collect the honey ants. She can still be seen there today, now transformed into a rock formation. The other sister dug deeper and has become submerged into the hill. The honey ant eggs, unearthed by the sisters in their search, are scattered across the surrounding hillside as white rocks.  Bonnie’s eldest daughter, Marlene, says that Bonnie knows the songline and the  Tjukurpa  for that area. “Mum grew up here, and her brother was born there,” making it a place of deep significance for her.  Marlene remembers the time she spent with Bonnie at Walka as a child. A nearby cave, which provided shelter for the family when it rained, features ancient rock art of the Honey Ant Tjukurpa  and the Two Sisters Tjukurpa— evidence of the timescale this story is a part of, passed from one generation to the next.  B onnie conveys this knowledge through the intricacies of her paintings, which now live on through another pair of sisters—Marlene and Dianne, two of her six children. The custodianship of The Two Sisters story and the Walka area has passed from Bonnie to her children. As a senior artist, proud great-grandmother, and strong cultural woman, her paintings serve as a legacy for them and future generations, preserving the eternal story lines within their  Tjukurpa —a path to follow long after she is gone.  Map of the Walka and Kaltukatjara Region, February 2025. Graphic by Reuben Jacob

For Art Leven, this year was marked by an exciting transformation. Rebranding from Cooee Art to Art Leven, we embraced a forward-thinking approach while staying true to our values of promoting Indigenous art ethically and authentically. The rebrand reflects our vision to foster deeper connections with artists and audiences while continuing to showcase First Nations art both locally and internationally. The ‘Australian' First Nations art market has seen significant developments in 2024, continuing its upward trajectory with both local and international recognition. A standout moment for the industry was the announcement of Emily Kame Kngwarreye's major exhibition at the Tate Modern in London in 2025. This exhibition solidifies Kngwarreye's standing as one of the most influential artists globally, further highlighting the importance of First Nations art on the world stage. Our auction results in 2024 were strong, with our First Nations Fine Art Auction on November 12th achieving impressive results. The auction saw a high percentage of works sold, with notable pieces by artists such as Lin Onus and Emily Kngwarreye leading the sales. The top 10 artworks sold in the auction market included three by Lin Onus, one by Ginger Riley, and six by Emily Kngwarreye, three of which were sold by us in our November auction.  More broadly, while the total market revenue was lower than the past two years, as expected, the number of artworks offered was the highest on record. First Nations art represented 9.8% of the Australian auction market, earning $12.94 million out of $132 million. 1,719 Indigenous artworks were offered, with an average sale price of $7,528, reflecting broader trends in the industry. From the market data, it's clear that while the Indigenous art sector saw an increase in the number of works offered, it faced challenges in revenue, reflecting a broader trend in the Australian auction market. Despite this, the sector's representation remains significant, with continued notable presence from top artists like Lin Onus and Emily Kngwarreye. The overall market appears to be stabilising with a slight dip in overall sales, but with sustained interest in high-quality works by leading First Nations artists. Our 2024 exhibition program showcased a balanced mixture of solo and group shows in partnership with art centres, as well as solo exhibitions by represented artists. Among the latter were highly successful exhibitions by Gadigal artist Konstantina, whose sellout exhibition was followed by a special showing at Parliament House and an announcement of her collaboration with the British Museum. Darwin based artist Joshua Bonson's A ncestors Footsteps, themed around a quasi-pilgrimage to the artist’s ancestral Torres Strait Islands, and It Flows  by award-winning artist Joanne Currie Nalingu.  Art Leven also presented first-time solo exhibitions for seasoned artists in Amy Loogatha Rayarriwarrtharrbayingathi Mingungurra, in partnership with Mornington Island Arts and Biddy Timms Napanangka, who has been painting for Warnayaka Arts almost since the art centre’s beginnings.  2024 was also host to a number of interesting collaborations, including Who x Who, in conjunction with our neighbours in ANIBOU. furniture and Strutt Studios. It also marked the second consecutive year that we housed the Oceanic Art Fair and the illustrious Paddington Art Prize. Finally, our Sydney Contemporary booth showcased the first comprehensive retrospective exhibition of the great Warlpiri artist Lily Jurrah Hargraves Nungurrayi, which included works sourced from private and commercial collections across the globe. Warlpiri Master was   accompanied by an illuminating catalogue featuring in-depth essays by multiple authors on the life and career of the celebrated and important artist. Looking ahead, we are excited to continue elevating, preserving, and celebrating First Nations art in 2025 and beyond, with increased engagement from both new and seasoned collectors, institutions, and global audiences. We hope you enjoy the holidays and stay tuned in the coming weeks for the announcement of our much-anticipated exhibition program for 2025.

Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, Art Leven [formerly Cooee Art], the continent’s oldest exhibiting Indigenous-focused art gallery and the only such specialised auction house, achieved impressive results in its inaugural auction under the new branding. The November 12th First Nations Fine Art Auction delivered strong results for artworks by established and emerging artists alike. As a full room of bidders and enthusiasts gathered at Art Leven’s Redfern showroom, a vibrant energy accompanied competitive bidding and keen interest sustained throughout the evening.  The auction presented an array of pieces from pioneers of the movement alongside emerging voices and fast rising stars. The selection underscored Art Leven’s staunch commitment to ethical standards with a strong emphasis on provenance. Achieving a 75% clearance rate by volume was above all expectations in the current economic climate, while a 109% sale rate by value confirms that the high end of the market remains robust. Leading off the offering was a small yet powerful piece by Emily Kame Kngwarreye (Kam Kngwarray), which sparked intense bidding and ultimately realised close to double its high estimate, certifying her status as a favourite among serious collectors. Measuring only 55 x 75.5 cm, Lot 1 carried an estimate of $30,000 –$40,000 and sold for $78,000 on the hammer ($97,500 incl. buyer’s premium). Kngwarreye’s success was mirrored with Lot 9 and Lot 17 , the latter selling for $330,000 ($412,500 incl. buyer’s premium) against an estimate of $140,000 –$160,000. Other established names also resonated strongly with collectors, Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri’s work Rock Holes Near the Olgas ( Lot 27 ) reached a hammer price of $28,000 for a 125 x 91 cm canvas, marking the highest price for a work under 180 cm. Lot 10 , a 1972 Papunya board with a rarely-granted export permit, presented good value via internet bidding at $137,500. A small 1988 bark by John Mawurndjul fetched $14,000 on the hammer, more than double the price of any comparably scaled work sold on the secondary market. In addition to established market heavyweights, the auction highlighted a dynamic selection of works from emerging First Nations artists, with many pieces significantly outperforming estimates. This new generation brought contemporary themes and fresh perspectives that captured the attention of younger collectors—a promising indicator for the future of First Nations art in the secondary market. Ngirpanta , 2021 by Patju Presley ( Lot 37 ) sold for a hammer of $14,000, doubling the estimated price. Queensland artist Joanne Currie Nalingu’s 2010 piece Dusk River II sold for the high estimate after a back and forth between a bidder in the room and a telephone bidder. The success across generations encapsulates Art Leven’s role in not only presenting the most renowned artists but also in supporting the next wave of First Nations talent. The results confirm Art Leven’s market leadership, reflecting collector confidence in the cultural significance and investment value of these works despite economic challenges. With strong performances across both established and emerging artists, the November 12 auction underscored the rich depth and diversity of First Nations art and highlighted Art Leven’s essential role in connecting these works with an appreciative and expanding global audience.