INDIGENOUS FINE ART AUCTION Cooee Art Paddington | 326 Oxford Street Paddington NSW 2021 23 June 2020 | 7PM Start INDIGENOUS FINE ART AUCTION 23 June 2020 | 7PM Start INDIGENOUS FINE ART AUCTION 23 June 2020 | 7PM Start Cooee Art Paddington | 326 Oxford Street Paddington NSW 2021 Cooee Art MarketPlace introduces its sixth bi-annual Australian Indigenous fine art Auction, the only multi-vendor live auction of its kind. The sale comprises 97 fine Australian Indigenous artworks, including works on canvas, bark paintings, and sculptures, created in regions throughout Australia from as early as the 1950s by artists of great renown. These artworks, ranging in value from $500 to $80,000, have been selected from over 20 national and international collections. The sale includes a small but extremely rare Wandjina bark by Alec Mingelmanganu (Lot 15), a superb large watercolour by Albert Namatjira (Lot 20), the largest work ever created by Balgo Hills artist Elizabeth Nyumi (Lot 48), a spectacular large painting by Peg Leg Tjampitjinpa (Lot 36), a range of early Arnhem Land bark paintings and sculptures, and Kimberley ochre works by Rover Thomas, Freddie Timms, Queenie McKenzie, Rammey Ramsey, Jack Dale, Lena Nyadbi, and others. Due to uncertainty surrounding lockdown restrictions there will be no preview night. All works will be on display at 326 Oxford Street, Paddington, and can be viewed by appointment. VIEW THE CATALOGUE VIEW RESULTS WATCH THE VIDEO

Artist Profile for Beverly Cameron < Back Beverly Cameron Beverly Cameron ARTIST PROFILE ARTIST CV MARKET ANALYSIS READ FULL ARTIST PROFILE top Anchor 1 PROFILE Beverly Cameron ARTIST CV Market Analysis MARKET ANALYSIS Disclaimer: At Cooee Art Leven, we strive to maintain accurate and respectful artist profiles. Despite our efforts, there may be occasional inaccuracies. We welcome any corrections or suggested amendments. Please contact us with your feedback .

SYDNEY CONTEMPORARY 2021 - NOT SO VIRTUAL From 11 November to 27 November 2021 Viewing Room SYDNEY CONTEMPORARY 2021 - NOT SO VIRTUAL From 11 November to 27 November 2021 The role of art is to reflect, grow, and shape culture. Artists challenge norms and shape the cultural zeitgeist. Artistic groups are formed against the backdrop of their time and place. Usually in hindsight, if their contribution becomes clear and definable, we categorise these groups in specific artistic movements. Indigenous Australian art is usually referred to, from a distance, as a movement. The term implies that the creative period has passed and that it belongs not in contemporary art galleries but in museums, carefully archived and displayed behind glass. Even some in the industry treat the art as something drawn from a finite and dwindling pool, as though the “movement” consists only of the trailblazer Aboriginal artists. But even the originators of Australian Aboriginal art as we know it are not finished driving and re-contextualising the creative process that is overdue to be seen as a contemporary art form rather than an anthropological one. Australian Indigenous artists have been creating art separate from and connected to each other for thousands of years, in places related to each other as neighbouring countries rather than regions of the same state. It continues to evolve, as it always has, as a contemporary art form. These works have been selected to highlight this point in a condensed form. The six artists showcased in this year's exhibition Not So Virtual have all taken traditional and highly important stories and themes, presenting them in a fashion that helps the viewer bridge the gap. This show centres around Emily Kame Kngwarreye, by now easily the most internationally recognised Australian Artist. Her works where among the first to pave the road between anthropological and artistic treatment of work by Australian Indigenous artists. Her paintings are collected and housed by the finest institutions and galleries worldwide. Most recently, Gagosian Gallery presented a dedicated a solo exhibition. Jorna Newberry’s simple-toned, minutely detailed Wind Dreaming paintings shimmer with knowledge and connection to country. Kitty Napanangka Simon, who has been represented by Cooee Art in conjunction with Warnayaka Art Centre in Lajamanu, offer a bold gestural perspective on the highly important Mina Mina Dreaming. Arnhem Land artist Yimula Munungurr’s works on bark and Lorrkons (burial poles) vibrate with detailed clan designs in fine crosshatched fields of colour, presented in conjunction with Buku Larrngay Arts in Yirrkala. Utopia artist Josie Petrick Kemarre, from the same country as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, creates flowing instinctual fields of colour by using meticulously placed and flawlessly executed dots. Rammey Ramsey’s textured compositions remind us of earlier Kimberly artists such as Rover Thomas or Queenie Mckenzie, while using bright and powerful (sometimes even fluorescent or neon) colours.

NAIDOC WEEK AT WORK INC Work Inc. | North Sydney 30 June to 14 July 2023 NAIDOC WEEK AT WORK INC 30 June to 14 July 2023 NAIDOC WEEK AT WORK INC 30 June to 14 July 2023 Work Inc. | North Sydney RITA BEASLEY - WUTUNUGURRA LANDSCAPE price AU$1,990.00 WALTER JANGALA BROWN - TINGARI CYCLE Sold AU$840.00 ATHENA NANGALA GRANITES - YANJIRLPIRRI | NAPALJARRI-WARNU JUKURRPA Sold AU$0.00 RITA BEASLEY - WATER AROUND EPENARRA Sold AU$0.00 MARISSA NAPANANGKA ANDERSON - NGAPA JUKURRPA (WATER DREAMING) - PUYURRU Sold AU$0.00 CECILY NAPANANGKA MARSHALL - JANGANPA JUKURRA (BRUSH-TAIL POSSUM DREAMING)- ... price AU$1,260.00 MARGARET NANGALA GALLAGHER - YANKIRRI JUKURRPA (EMU DREAMING) price AU$460.00 JULIE NANGALA ROBERTSON - NGAPA JUKURRPA (WATER DREAMING) - PIRLINYARNU Sold AU$0.00 LORNA CORBETT - DRY GRASSES - LORNA CORBETT Sold AU$0.00 JULIE NANGALA ROBERTSON - NGAPA JUKURRPA (WATER DREAMING) - PIRLINYARNU price AU$850.00 ADA PULA BEASLEY - MY COUNTRY Sold AU$0.00 JESSIE BEASLEY - BUSH FLOWERS Sold AU$0.00 MARY PETERSON - BUSH FLOWER Sold AU$0.00 EX NAIDOC

NumbulmooreCharl Charlie Numbulmoore Charlie Numbulmoore 1907 - 1971 Charlie Numbulmoore lived for many years on Gibb River Station in the Central Kimberley where anthropologist Ian Crawford first recorded him repainting Wandjina figures in a Mamadai cave in the 1960’s. The few biographical details of Numbulmoore’s life that exist are traced solely through his encounters with those anthropologists who collected his work. Following Crawford’s initial encounter, Helen Groger collected the artist’s work on behalf of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies in 1970, the same year that collector and grazier Tom McCourt purchased a number of paintings on bark, plywood, and cardboard. In his journal McCourt recollected Numbulmoore as 'the last of the old people here… who has that certain something that impresses you… when I was in Charlies camp, I bought several paintings he had in his hut from him… although his work is childlike, it has the primitive look of paintings seen under the rock hangings out in the bush' (cited in Sotheby’s 2003: 10). The Wandjina, exclusive to areas of the Kimberley, are said to have lain down in a cave and turned into a painting after their time on the earth. The Worrorra, Ngarinyin, and Woonambal clans of the Kimberley are responsible for maintaining the remnants of these spirit ancestors. Numbulmoore’s paintings show a unique conception of the Wandjina, characterised by large round black eyes fringed with short delicate lashes. The centre of the chest features a solid black, or occasionally red, oval said to depict the sternum, or heart, or a pearl shell pendant representing its spiritual essence. The almost circular head is surrounded by a very regular, tripartite halo or headdress representing hair, clouds, and lightning. Unusual in these works is the inclusion of a mouth and a long narrow parallel-sided nose, flared at the very tip with nostrils. After retouching a Wandjina near Mamadai Charlie stated 'I made you very good now…you must be very glad because I made yours eyes like new. That eye you know, like this my eye… I made them new for you people. My eye has life and your eye has life too, because I made it new … don’t try bringing rain, my wife might drown with the rain' (cited in Ryan 1993). The reference to the Wandjina’s power over the rains is particularly pertinent for Numbulmoore. The inclusion of a mouth is distinctive of his work as this is rare in Wandjna depictions. That he does so illustrates how individual interpretations of Wandjina are unique to each clan. Their more common absence is most often attributed to a belief that painting a mouth on the Wandjina’s face would bring perpetual rain. It has been suggested that Wandjina paintings on bark were first produced for trade and exchange with missionaries travelling by lugger along the coastline prior to mid 1970's. The Worrorra, Ngarinyin, and Woonambal artists did not possess the technical know how commonly found in Arnhem Land. For this reason their own barks were 'usually poorly prepared, the often knotty surfaces left irregular, and the pigments, applied without fixatives' (Ryan 1993: 15). Few of these pre 1970's examples survive. However, Charlie Numbulmoore’s paintings are a rare exception to this, as along with bark, he employed unusual, but more durable surfaces, such as slate, hard wood coolamons, or even cardboard. Notably images of the Wandjina created on bark, canvas or slate were viewed by artists like Numbulmoore as purely reproductions of the ‘real’ Wandjina’s adorning the cave walls at their most important Dreaming sites. Their primary artistic inspiration and purpose lay in their responsibility to maintain the ancestral beings, by repainting them and ‘keeping them strong’. The great strength of Charlie Numbulmoore’s artistic legacy is that he was able to convey the aesthetic and spiritual power of the Wandjina undiminished through a range of portable media that survive to this day. Charlie Numbulmoore’s works are rare and have a primitive numinous appeal. His paintings have appeared at auction only 35 times and, in what is extremely rare in Aboriginal art sales, only six have been passed in with all but two of his ten highest results exceeding their high estimates. Amongst those works offered more than once, was a 62 x 38.5 cm bark, which just exceeded its top estimate of $30,000 at Sotheby’s in 2000 and four years later sold for $49,850 showing an increase of $14,200. Two Spotted Wandjina c.1965 has appeared three times. This 78 x 60 cm work executed in earth pigments on cardboard achieved a price of $23,500 against a presale estimate of $18,000-25,000 when it first appeared for sale in Deutscher~Menzies in May 2000 (Lot 30). Three years later it reappeared at Lawson Menzies October 2003 sale with a slightly higher estimate of $25,000-35,000 and reached $35,250 (Lot 33). In a result that reflects Sotheby’s preference for ethnographic works, this painting sold for $72,000 when re-offered in July 2007 against a presale estimate of $40,000-50,000 (Lot 30). Only a work on slate, sold by Sotheby's in 2002 for $22,800 cost its owner when resold in 2012 through Bonham's for $18,300. Still, the pleasure derived from living with it should have more than compensated. In 2018 a bark that originally failed to sell through Leonard Joel in September 2015 when estimated at $12,000 - $18,000, was pushed by Sotheby's in London at GBP25,000 - 35,000 and failed once more. His highest price is $228,000, paid for an unusually large work measuring 161 x 80 cm at Sotheby’s in July 2007 (Lot 28). During 2006-07 no less than four works exceeded his previous record of $71,000 paid for a painted coolamon in Sotheby’s July 2005 auction. Since 2000 Numbulmorre has fetched high sums, often outstripping the estimates set by auction houses by up to three times. Moreover, there is a high degree of acceptance of the eclectic array of surface on which his images are painted with works on cardboard, slate, plywood, bark, and painted coollamons all fetching high prices. These staggering prices paid for works that only recently would have been considered artefacts or ethnographic curiosities attest to a fascination engendered by the Wandjina image itself. In Numbulmoore’s case, the use of his image on the cover of Images of Power, Aboriginal Art from The Kimberley, published by the National Gallery of Victoria, has only added to his status as one of the most important exponents of this art. Though Charlie Numbulmoore’s barks predate Alec Mingelmanganu’s canvases by up to a decade, Numbulmoore’s results rank just behind Mingelmanganu on the secondary market before the low numbers offered are taken in to account. Works by both of these artists are now firmly established as blue-chip investments and will become increasingly difficult to obtain. The $228,000 record price paid for Numbulmoore’s Wandjina image in Sotheby’s 2007 sale just eclipsed his record of the previous year. These results were more than three times his record set only a year earlier, and just barely below the record sale of a Wandjina bark, by Alec Mingelmanganu at Sotheby’s in June 2002. That only four have failed at auction is testament to both the scarcity and desirability of Numbulmoore’s work. Such a result at auction is practically unheard of and all the more unusual because of the high value of his lowest sales record at $15,600. It is indicative that in 2015 only one work appeared for sale. It was offered in Sotheby's sale of the Thomas Vroom collection in London. The bark was far from his best and badly damaged, yet it achieved one of Numbulmoore's highest results, selling for GBP equivalent of $AUD34,920. With works of such uniformly superb quality there is little risk of depreciation. Numbulmoore’s works are rare, with only ten being offered for sale since 2007; they will always be strongly contested when they appear at sale. While they may seem rich pickings, I believe that his paintings are still undervalued and collectors should expect to see them continue to surge in value. Explore our artworks See some of our featured artworks below ANGELINA PWERLE NGAL - UNTITLED ( BUSH RAISIN MAN) Price AU$3,000.00 ALISON (JOJO) PURUNTATAMERI - WINGA (TIDAL MOVEMENT/WAVES) Out of stock LILY YIRDINGALI JURRAH HARGRAVES NUNGARRAYI - KURLURRNGALINYPA JUKURRPA Price From AU$13,500.00 BRONWYN BANCROFT - UNTITLED Out of stock JOSHUA BONSON - SKIN: A CELEBRATION OF CULTURE Price AU$8,500.00 BOOK - KONSTANTINA - GADIGAL NGURA Price From AU$99.00 FREDDIE TIMMS - MOONLIGHT VALLEY Price AU$35,000.00 NEIL ERNEST TOMKINS - BURN THERE, DON'T BURN THERE Price AU$7,000.00 SHOP NOW

MarikaMatha Mathaman Marika Mathaman Marika 1915 - 1970 Mataman, Madaman, Matha'man, Matarman Mathaman Marika lived the traditional bush life of the Yulgnu people of North East Arnhem Land until his first contact with ‘balanda’ white people when still a young man. He was in his early twenties when the Methodist missionary Rev. W.S. Chaseling collected the first bark paintings at Yirrkala and Caledon Bay between 1936 and 1939. Few Europeans were aware of Arnhem Land or its inhabitants at the time however Mathaman, his brother Mawalan I, could see the enormous changes taking place that were to alter the Yunlgu culture and lifestyle forever. After a series of violent conflicts initiated by Mathaman and his countrymen over their mistreatment made world headlines, ongoing police searches created so much trouble for their people that they gave themselves up. Reflecting on his time in jail, Mathaman said, ‘for two years I dream about my country: Then I come back and I paint about my country' (Davidson, 1989:10). Over the following decade Mathaman painted important Rirratjingu creation stories that, read as an opus, forms one of the most sophisticated land rights statements produced by an Aboriginal Australian. While the production of bark paintings prior to the 1950’s was not great, from the mid 1950’s the demand from dealers for art began to grow rapidly. In Yirrkala, Douglas Tuffin, a lay missionary, devised the split stick framing still used by artists from this region, introduced tools for the fine incising later adopted for the decoration of carved figures and totemic animals, and produced the first authenticity labels on the back of paintings. And while mission authorities paid artists in tobacco and other trade goods on behalf of anthropologists, collectors, museums and marketing outlets down south, Arnhem Land bark paintings were being sold in art shops in the United States of America and London for the first time. At the beginning of the 1960’s when Mathaman began painting, good bark paintings could be purchased in almost every Australian state as well as overseas, and the demand appeared to far outweigh supply. At that time Tony Tuckson, Dep. Director of the AGNSW, Dr. Stuart Scougall, and Dorothy Bennett commissioned some of the first huge barks from Yirrkala and Karel Kupka, Ed Ruhe and Louis Allan developed important overseas collections. Eager dealers sought paintings by a number of the great painters and religious leaders, foremost amongst whom were North East Arnhem land painters Mathaman and Mawalan Marika. Mathaman was brother to Mawalan 1, leader of the Rirratjingu clan of the Dhuwa moiety, and upon his brother’s death took on his leadership responsibilities. Dhuwa clans share ownership of the Djangkawu, Wagilag and Wuyal myth cycles and in the paintings which followed his brother’s death Mathaman illuminated the presence of these great ancestor spirits through depictions of the creatures, places and totems they created on their travels. His paintings emit a sense of ‘radiance’ through delicate striations of cross-hatching that evokes a feeling of ‘spiritual presence’. The elaborately worked surfaces of his barks are characteristically divided into inter-related sections that contain both figurative and geometric components. A unifying network of straight and diagonal, parallel lines underlie his compositions. This patterning indicates clan affiliations and specific landmarks or locations. Human and animal figures are often depicted without embellishment, in blank silhouette, upon this rich symbolic ground. His beautifully executed complex paintings depicted the Djangkawu sisters who gave birth to the Rirratjingu clan and instituted their sacred laws; the Morning Star, held by women on a long string which they let out, finally pulling it back and imprisoning it in a cave until the next morning; the exploits of the Wagilag Sisters; and The Wuyal Honey Man and his sister. The travels, journeys and exploits of these great ancestor beings form the basis of Rirratjingu society and constitute the Dreaming tracks that interconnect the clans of North East Arnhem Land and unite all of their homelands. Mathaman was the first bark painter in the region to consistently mix pigments, softening the customary contrasts of light and dark colours. He chose sepia, veering away from strong black by mixing it with yellow to make a dull olive green. His use of orchid bulb juice to bind the earth pigments resulted in a matt finish that suited his muted tones and was markedly different to the shiny clarity of pigments mixed with European-style wood glue. Mathaman was a master of juxtaposition, building a fluent rhythm of cross-hatching in order to maximize the magical sense of light that infused his complex designs. His spidery delicacy of line allowed for completeness in each detail, reflecting the purposeful concentration with which he always worked. His meticulous designs were painted from memory, often pulled to the surface with the help of the traditional chants that accompanied the unfolding artwork. Towards the end of his life, Mathaman and his people saw their lands set upon by the bulldozers of the Nabalco mining company. Protest corroborees were organized and the outside world began to intrude in some helpful but more often ruinous ways. Mathaman called the young men to him to give them instruction as he felt his time approach. He died at peace with the Dreaming, returning to the spiritual source that he had felt so strongly throughout his life. It was the wellspring of his creativity, conveyed to future generations within his work. Mathaman Marika’s finest works belong to major national and international collections. Only 26 of his bark paintings have reached the secondary market and quite a few of these were not illustrated in the auction catalogues. A number were minor works and several exhibited a degree of white ochre loss and were in poor condition. Of the 13 that have failed to sell two were poor examples and one of these, The Djankawu People c.1957 was a small work, which sold for $900 in Lawson-Menzies November 2004 auction (Lot 336) after having failed to sell at Sotheby’s in 2001 with an estimate of just $800-1,200 (Lot 351). In 2009 Bonhams offered two Sacred Djungowa (Sic) Story 1960 barks, which despite modest estimates of $4,000-6,000 failed to find buyers. Again testament to the vast difference in interest between grand narrative masterpieces and those which depict simpler details from such stories. More than any other factor this accounts for the vast discrepancy amongst Mathaman’s sales. Of the 26 offered only six have been prime examples of his work, which demonstrated his supreme artistic ability. His record price stands at the $31,050 was paid for Bremer Island Battle c.1961, a large bark measuring 144.5 x 73 cm, which sold in Sotheby’s June 2002 auction (Lot 53). This exceeded his record that had stood since 1999, when Fish Trap at Gangan c.1960 measuring 115 x 52.5 cm sold at Sotheby’s (Lot 20). This work featured equally magnificent complex imagery with fine ‘rarrk’ detail and sold for what is now his second highest price of $25,300. Another Untitled Narrative c.1959, similar in size and artistic merit to the second best, but marred by the white ochre in poor repair, sold within its estimate for $6,000 in Sotheby’s November 2005 auction (Lot 91). This placed it as the fourth best bark at auction at the time and the fifth today. The third best price of $12,650 went to a 1950’s bark that was a mere 17.2 x 42 cm but in excellent condition. It was lot 26 in Sotheby’s June 1996 auction. Including two sales above $20,000 all up only six barks have sold for more than $5,000 while seven have sold for less. The results for this artist overall belie the fact that he was such an important figure during the period when barks were in their heyday, long before the emergence of desert painting. It just goes to prove that secondary market results are not everything when assessing the importance of an artist. This one produced masterpieces. On those rare occasions when his finest works appear at auction expect fireworks. Explore our artworks See some of our featured artworks below ANGELINA PWERLE NGAL - UNTITLED ( BUSH RAISIN MAN) Price AU$3,000.00 ALISON (JOJO) PURUNTATAMERI - WINGA (TIDAL MOVEMENT/WAVES) Out of stock LILY YIRDINGALI JURRAH HARGRAVES NUNGARRAYI - KURLURRNGALINYPA JUKURRPA Price From AU$13,500.00 BRONWYN BANCROFT - UNTITLED Out of stock JOSHUA BONSON - SKIN: A CELEBRATION OF CULTURE Price AU$8,500.00 BOOK - KONSTANTINA - GADIGAL NGURA Price From AU$99.00 FREDDIE TIMMS - MOONLIGHT VALLEY Price AU$35,000.00 NEIL ERNEST TOMKINS - BURN THERE, DON'T BURN THERE Price AU$7,000.00 SHOP NOW

Artist Profile for Maria Murdilnga < Back Maria Murdilnga Maria Murdilnga ARTIST PROFILE ARTIST CV MARKET ANALYSIS READ FULL ARTIST PROFILE top Anchor 1 PROFILE Maria Murdilnga ARTIST CV Market Analysis MARKET ANALYSIS Disclaimer: At Cooee Art Leven, we strive to maintain accurate and respectful artist profiles. Despite our efforts, there may be occasional inaccuracies. We welcome any corrections or suggested amendments. Please contact us with your feedback .

WHAT MAKES ABORIGINAL ART SO SPECIAL? Interest in the visual arts all around the world has exploded over the past 20 years. < Back HOW TO COLLECT ABORIGINAL ART — AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL ART Mar 21, 2021 WHAT MAKES ABORIGINAL ART SO SPECIAL? Interest in the visual arts all around the world has exploded over the past 20 years. WHAT MAKES ABORIGINAL ART SO SPECIAL? Interest in the visual arts all around the world has exploded over the past 20 years. There are more people collecting art now than at any other period in history, and they are collecting from a wider spectrum of artists and mediums.[1] Twenty years ago the number of people who went to galleries or auctions and purchased works of art was very small, and, on average, these people spent a lot of money on what they bought e.g. $20,000-50,000. In the last decade the number of people collecting art has grown though, on average, they are spending less. [2] According to art market analyst Michael Reid the fiscally mature generation X ‘are the most visually literate generation to walk the planet’ to date. Interest in Aboriginal art has increased partially because of this, however, there are two important additional reasons behind its success. Aboriginal art speaks of nomadic tradition that encompasses a philosophy and traditional lifestyle at one with nature. As such it engenders an heroic sense of urgency and seriousness about the current threats facing the natural world. It is a window into the oldest continuing culture in the world. Beyond their beauty, this spirituality is what defines Australian Aboriginal artworks. An intrinsic sense of oneness with nature is the foundation stone of Australian Aboriginal culture. It remains reflected within the customs and cultural practices of Australia’s original inhabitants to this day. Their beautiful and significant works of art celebrate a vibrant and powerful culture; one with a special connection to the land of their ancestors, the earth, and the natural world. ‘The land is full of knowledge, story, goodness, energy, and power. The Earth is our mother, the land is not empty. There is the story. I am telling you. It is special, sacred, important’ Wandjuk Marika (dec), Revered Elder, North East Arnhem Land Another important reason is that as wealth has increased, people have sought to show who they are by the environment they create around them. In today’s busy world, media, press promotions and the internet aggressively emphasise the importance of the home interior. Aboriginal art fits this mindset as a large number of regional styles tend toward abstracted imagery that suits contemporary offices and homes. 2 3 (2) Story of a Womans Camp and the Origin of Damper 1973 – Anatjari No. III Tjakamarra Sold by Sotheby’s Australia Pty. Ltd., Melbourne on 29/06/1998 for $384,000 122 x 92 cm (3) Warlugulong, 1977 – Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri Sold by Sotheby’s, Melbourne on 24/07/2007 for $2,400,000 202 x 337.5 cm A TRAJECTORY OF SUCCESS The first settlers arrived in Australia at the beginning of the 19th century and Aboriginal artefacts and paintings sold principally as curios or items for study by anthropologists until the 1960s. No more than 1000 paintings on bark had been created prior to 1970. In that year the first desert acrylic artworks were created and by 1980 a market for Aboriginal art grew to 2.5 million dollars on the back of its inclusion in a number of important international art events. However, sales were primarily to those with an ethnographic interest. By 1990, due to aggressive tourism, marketing, and a number of important European and American exhibitions, total sales had jumped to $20 million, constituting an increase of nearly 1,000%. Nothing could have prepared the market for what happened next. The international powerhouse Sotheby’s began selling Aboriginal paintings in 1989 and by 1995 held its first auction specialising just in Australian Aboriginal art. This encouraged a number of Australia’s most prestigious commercial galleries to introduce works by the most important Aboriginal artists to their clients, thereby enabling them to break out of the ethnographic straightjacket that previously constrained it. On the strength of this, Aboriginal art sales at auction had increased from just $175,000 in 1992 to more than $15 million in 2005. It had begun to attract a growing number of financially literate people with a fascination for alternative investments. Many were particularly drawn by the excitement that accompanied the numerous record-setting auction prices being established for living Indigenous artists. While it had been hard to sell even the most collectable works for $10,000 in 1990 (almost 20 years after the modern Aboriginal art movement had begun), many of these same works were now selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Influential market analysts like Robert Milliken enthusiastically endorsed market hype by noting the exponential rise in value of works by recently deceased artists such as Rover Thomas and Emily Kngwarreye.[3] In Australia, the sophisticated way in which Indigenous art was being shown and marketed in contemporary galleries, not only forced specialist galleries to lift their game, but also attracted an entirely new competitor into the market: Brokers, with financial and equity market backgrounds, began buying and trading ‘portfolios’ of art that could be traded-up, with the brokers’ assistance, over time. In order to do so, these ‘investment galleries’ needed to have access to a wide variety of art across a range of mediums that would enable them to develop portfolios beginning at $15,000 and growing to perhaps $250,000. Aboriginal prints and works on paper were ideal as entry-level purchases. In 2008, the global financial crisis first hit investor confidence and total Australian art sales at auction fell from $175 million to $104 million. Aboriginal art sales fell by almost 50% to $13.4 million. Two years later, in 2010, it was $10.1 million. Interestingly in 2010 the highest price paid for an Aboriginal painting was the $384,000 paid by the National Museum of Australia for Anatjari Tjakamarra’s early board, Story of a Woman’s Camp and the Origin Of Damper 1973, at Sotheby’s in July. In fact the value of the 10th highest priced sale at auction in 2010 was only $96,000. It was a far cry from from Clifford Possum’s record setting Warlugulong, 1977, which sold in 2007 – just 6 months before the global meltdown – for $2,4 million. Nevertheless, the market is resilient and is poised to grow once more. The economic downturn and a period of generational change has seen a number of ‘investment’ dealers, exhibiting galleries, and retailers close shop. This has already helped those that continue trading to do so more profitably. While my enthusiasm for Aboriginal art, as well as my optimism in regard to the art market, should be apparent from what I have written above, this does not discount the fact that a great deal of art, including Aboriginal art, does not increase in value in real terms over time. If this seems, upon first reading, a paradox, I urge you to read on. The advice imparted in this book is the product of 40 years experience in the field. I have been continually present throughout the period during which Aboriginal art changed from ‘cultural product’ to ‘contemporary art’, as it entered contemporary art galleries and major collecting institutions. Buyers without a solid knowledge of the aesthetics and history of Aboriginal material culture should understand that the largest part of ‘Contemporary’ is ‘temporary’. For this reason alone, knowing what to purchase and where, how Aboriginal art is presented and sold, what to avoid, and how to build the value of your developing collection, are fundamental skills that are extremely useful in the armoury of any good collector. [1] Mary Dymon, Art as an Investment, Limelight Online July 8th 2004 [2] Rachael Brown,The Art of Making Money, The Sunday Age holiday guide p14 January 2nd 2005 [3] Robert Milliken, A Good Investment of the Wary Buyer, The Financial Review, Perspective, December 23rd 2004, p25 Previous Next Featured artworks Quick View ANGELINA PWERLE NGAL - UNTITLED ( BUSH RAISIN MAN) Price AU$3,000.00 Quick View ALISON (JOJO) PURUNTATAMERI - WINGA (TIDAL MOVEMENT/WAVES) Out of stock Quick View LILY YIRDINGALI JURRAH HARGRAVES NUNGARRAYI - KURLURRNGALINYPA JUKURRPA Price From AU$13,500.00 Quick View BRONWYN BANCROFT - UNTITLED Out of stock Quick View JOSHUA BONSON - SKIN: A CELEBRATION OF CULTURE Price AU$8,500.00 Quick View Book BOOK - KONSTANTINA - GADIGAL NGURA Price From AU$99.00 Quick View FREDDIE TIMMS - MOONLIGHT VALLEY Price AU$35,000.00 Quick View NEIL ERNEST TOMKINS - BURN THERE, DON'T BURN THERE Price AU$7,000.00

FEATURED BARK ARTISTS FROM YIRRKALA From 15 July to 31 August 2021 FEATURED BARK ARTISTS FROM YIRRKALA From 15 July to 31 August 2021 FEATURED BARK ARTISTS FROM YIRRKALA From 15 July to 31 August 2021

Gathul’puy | Belonging to the Mangroves Art Leven - 17 Thurlow St, Redfern, Gadigal / Sydney 14th December 2024 - 11th January 2025 Viewing Room Gathul’puy | Belonging to the Mangroves Munhala Dhamarrandji & Muluymuluy Wirrpanda 14th December 2024 - 11th January 2025 Art Leven - 17 Thurlow St, Redfern, Gadigal / Sydney Gathul’puy [Belonging to the Mangroves] | Munhala Dhamarrandji and Muluymuluy Wirrpanda Gathul’puy showcases the works of two First Nations artists from the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, Munhala Dhamarrandji and Muluymuluy Wirrpanda. Drawing from their ancestral landscapes and daily connection to Country, the artists weave stories of Arnhem Land’s ecosystems, traditions, and identity into each intricate painting. “Muluymuluy and Manhala are two very different artists. But there is a synergy between their work. They are both inspired and informed by a lifetime of intimacy with the land. The fluidity and instinctive organic feel flows from this... Imagine if your day to day ‘job’ was not a commute to an office but a journey to the mangroves, jungle or beach to winkle your daily sustenance from the earth. This moulds you to a certain hyperawareness of the shapes and forms of nature. Because without this heightened sense you cannot unlock the necessary nutrition required by your family." Gathul'puy [Belonging to the Mangroves] offers a profound glimpse into Yolŋu culture through the works of Munhala Dhamarrandji and Muluymuluy Wirrpanda. Art Leven is proud to present this exhibition, a celebration of Yolŋu heritage and the enduring bond between land, knowledge, and creativity. Munhala Dhamarrandji Muluymuluy Wirrpanda View Catalogue MUNHALA DHAMARRANDJI - GOMU' Sold AU$0.00 MUNHALA DHAMARRANDJI - BATJIMURRUNU Sold AU$0.00 MUNHALA DHAMARRANDJI - GOMU' Sold AU$0.00 ExGathul

20|20 - 20 ARTISTS FROM OVER AUSTRALIA PAINTING 20|20 Cooee Art Paddington From 28 November to 19 December 2020 Viewing Room 20|20 - 20 ARTISTS FROM OVER AUSTRALIA PAINTING 20|20 Artists: Artist from All Over Australia From 28 November to 19 December 2020 Cooee Art Paddington As we approach the end of the year, a very odd year for everyone, Cooee Art will feature 20 artists from unique communities from all over Australia in their final exhibition for 2020. 20|20 will officially open on Saturday 28 November 2020, and will be on view at our Paddington Gallery until Saturday 19 December 2020. These selected works of art offer a rare opportunity to purchase affordable artworks from established and remote communities. These paintings are possibly one of the best Christmas gifts you will buy, knowing that whilst you receive a gift yourself (or someone else) you are giving a gift back to the art community and the artist themselves. Hindsight is 20|20. Following a year of adversity, hibernation and resilience we all aspire to re-prioritise in the hope of a more meaningful and purposeful future. Our challenge is to think and see more clearly. To search for life changing ideas and small treasures that bring joy and enlighten our lives. 20|20, our final exhibition of the year, features small treasures created by twenty artists from around the country created during this year of adversity. Included are paintings on canvas, paper, bark and sculptures. They hail from Non-for-profit art centres including Buku Larrnggay in Yirrkala, Warlukurlangu in Yuendumu, Warnayaka in Lajamanu, Papunya Tula in Kintore, Mangkaja in Fitzroy Crossing, Spinifex Hill in Port Headland, Warlayiti Artists in Balgo Hills, Ernabella Arts in South Australia as well as some of our repressed artist from South Australia, the Central Desert Victoria, and Darwin. When the first lockdown swept through Australia, scores of art centres were forced to suspend all activity in an effort to protect remote Indigenous communities from the virus. Weeks turned into months, during which artists could not practise their craft, severely throttling their main and sometimes only source of income. The art centres all around Australia are the lifeblood of our industry. Young artists emerge every year, developing new styles and interpreting the oldest oral history of the world in beautiful and innovative ways. Artists develop their talent and skill with each piece, with each brushstroke, honing their individual practice and furthering their vision, interpreting shared stories with ever new understanding. We need barely mention how incredibly important the work art centres and their artists do each day is to the economic prosperity of remote communities and the furthering of Indigenous culture in Australia. In September we put out our first callout, aware that art centres had begun reopening. Artists were producing new work for the first time in almost half a year. Beyond the virus’s economic repercussions, we are in this business because we love the art, and we are lucky enough to surround ourselves with it every day. Each arrival of paintings in the gallery is a moment of joy, when staff gather around and excitedly watch as each new work is unwrapped, something we have sorely missed for most of this year. As works started arriving in the gallery for this exhibition, it felt both like a return to normalcy, or at least the hope thereof, and the beginning of a new chapter. This is an end-of-year show looking back at everything this year showed us, from the widespread hardships to the incredible resilience. Like the first plants sprouting green in the fire-ravaged bush, these paintings mark the reawakening of contemporary Indigenous art after a devastating year of hibernation. VIEW CATALOGUE EX 205

Artist Profile for Tolbert Dharramanba < Back Tolbert Dharramanba Tolbert Dharramanba ARTIST PROFILE ARTIST CV MARKET ANALYSIS READ FULL ARTIST PROFILE top Anchor 1 PROFILE Tolbert Dharramanba ARTIST CV Market Analysis MARKET ANALYSIS Disclaimer: At Cooee Art Leven, we strive to maintain accurate and respectful artist profiles. Despite our efforts, there may be occasional inaccuracies. We welcome any corrections or suggested amendments. Please contact us with your feedback .