NEWS, provenance

The dynamic contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art scene

Bay Gallery Home's art dealer Alexandra updates us on her sourcing trip in Australia (whilst here in drizzly March England we can only dream of such sunny colours)...

Michael Nelson Jagamara: Lightning Strikes at Merricks! Michael Nelson Jagamara’s dynamic new sculpture series Lightning Strikes are fabricated in stainless steel, bronze or polyurethane with 2 pac paints in a range of colours. His wo…

Michael Nelson Jagamara: Lightning Strikes at Merricks! Michael Nelson Jagamara’s dynamic new sculpture series Lightning Strikes are fabricated in stainless steel, bronze or polyurethane with 2 pac paints in a range of colours. His work is part of the 'Weather Patterns' exhibition currently showing at Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, until 13th April 2017.

 

"Yesterday I went to Fortitude Valley in Brisbane to meet gallerists Mike Mitchell of Mitchell Fine Art and Michael Eather of Fireworks Gallery, both Aboriginal Art specialists.

They’ve been in the industry for decades so it was a pleasure to meet them both and see their current exhibitions.

“Weather Patterns II", at Fireworks Gallery, features the work of Matthew Johnson, Rosella Namok and a personal favourite of mine Michael Nelson Jagamara, for whom I had the privilege of doing a sell-out show early on in my career.

Weather Patterns II, featuring the work of Matthew Johnson, Rosella Namok and Michael Nelson Jagamara (featured above), showing at Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, until 13th April 2017.

Weather Patterns II, featuring the work of Matthew Johnson, Rosella Namok and Michael Nelson Jagamara (featured above), showing at Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, until 13th April 2017.

 ‘Monochrome’, at Mitchell Fine Art  features the work of hugely talented desert artists such as Dorothy Napangardi, who recently exhibited in the 2015 'Australia' show at the Royal Academy.

Abby Loy Kemarre, Bush Leaves - part of the 'Monochrome' exhibition at Mitchell Fine Art, until 1st April 2017.

Abby Loy Kemarre, Bush Leaves - part of the 'Monochrome' exhibition at Mitchell Fine Art, until 1st April 2017.

If you missed it, the substantial 'Australia' exhibition at the Royal Academy investigated the social and cultural evolution of Australia through its art, from 1800 to the present day. The past two hundred years have seen rapid and intense change, from the colonisation on an indigenous people to the pioneering nation building efforts of the 19th century and the steady urbanisation of the last 100 years.

The exhibition drew on some of Australia's most significant public collections, showcasing the breadth of the landscape and its diverse people through early and contemporary Aboriginal art as well as the work of early colonial settlers & immigrant artists, and some of today’s most established Australian artists.

Here's an more in-depth video of the exhibition, for those with a keen interest!