Important Works by First Nations Artists
Welcome to the June 17 First Nations Fine Art Auction, which features a curated selection of 82 notable works by artists of exceptional cultural and artistic influence. The auction coincides with heightened global interest in First Nations art, spurred by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., announcing the forthcoming exhibition “The Stars We Do Not See,” which will be the largest international exhibition of Indigenous Australian art in the USA. Our auction assembles a collection grounded in rigorous research and documented provenance, ensuring eligibility under current institutional acquisition standards.
A highlight of this sale is Lot 17: Ankara Merne – Intekwe (1990) by Emily Kame Kngwarreye. Painted for her first solo exhibition at Utopia Art Sydney, this archetypal work is accompanied by an essay by Christopher Hodges and carries an estimate of $450 000–$550 000. Another significant painting by Kngwarreye is Summer Abundance V (Lot 18) from the prestigious Thomas Vroom Collection, estimated at $150 000–$200 000. The auction also includes important early career works by Minnie Pwerle (Lot 20), Gloria Petyarre (Lot 79), Kathleen Petyarre (Lot 52) and Kathleen Ngal (Lot 21), followed by a luminous contemporary diptych Wild Plum by Angelina Ngal (Lot 19) estimated at $40 000–$60 000.
An exciting feature of this auction is the early 1970s Papunya collection assembled by Professor John Jory. Focused on the foundational years of the Western Desert painting movement, this collection provides rare insights into a pivotal moment in Australian art history. Among its highlights are Water Dreaming (1971) by Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra; two 1972 boards from the Water Story series by Old Walter Tjampitjinpa; and early works by John Kipara Tjakamarra such as Walinngi (1973) and Origins of Soakages (1973).
The auction also includes two significant works by Rover Joolama Thomas: Small Creek Near Turkey Creek (1990) estimated at $90 000–$100 000, and a 1992 piece created for Waringarri Arts estimated at $30 000–$40 000. Other artists represented include Queenie McKenzie, Jack Britten and many others, with pieces highlighting unique artistic perspectives such as Lin Onus’s gouache Motionless Fish (Lot 24), Lydia Balbal’s Living Water at Pikarong (Lot 7) and works by contemporary Balgo Hills artist Patsy Mudgedell, among numerous notable pieces by Betty Kuntiwa Pumani, Boxer Milner, Kunmanara (Ray) Ken, Eubena Nampitjin and Dorothy Napangardi.
With an estimated total value between $1.42 million and $1.85 million, this collection represents historically important and institutionally relevant works. We invite collectors and art lovers to explore the depth and cultural significance of these works and look forward to welcoming you to the viewing at Art Leven on Gadigal Country.
– Emma Lenyszyn, First Nations Fine Art Specialist (May 2025)
