Every week, Brisbane gets to host multiple art exhibits and displays, but one gallery hidden in plain sight at a back street in Paddington is fast becoming a must-see for both locals and overseas visitors.
Situated just off Given Terrace, Red Sand Art Gallery never fails to mesmerise every visitor who browses through its collection of Aboriginal art.
Following the successful exhibit that features works by highly sought-after Pintubi Aboriginal artist Linda Syddick Napaljarri, Red Sand Art Gallery will continue to feature collectible works from Utopia and the Central Desert throughout 2020. Utopia, which is some 230 km away from Alice Springs, is home to some of the most well-known Aboriginal artists such as Kathleen Petyarre, Nancy Petyarre, Greeny Purvis, Cowboy Louis Pwerle, Glory Ngale and Gloria Petyarre.
Featured Artists
Utopian artworks stand out for their use of bold colours and composition that shows the artists’ willingness to experiment in expressing their Dreamings. Red Sand Art Gallery is the perfect place to find Aboriginal art pieces that fascinate and captivate the imagination.
Here are just some of the Aboriginal artists featured at Red Sand Art Gallery:
Anna Petyarre
Born around 1965, Anna Petyarre is a relatively well known Anmatyerre artist whose works have been displayed extensively around Australia. Primarily painting Yam Seed Dreaming, Anna is known for her colourful and intricate expressions of her dreamings related to the Bush Yam and its seeds.
Throughout the years, Anna’s paintings have become more collectible as she develops her style and establishes her reputation as one of Utopia’s rising stars. She was among the entrants in the 15th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.
Georgina Ryder
Young Warlpiri artist Georgina Ryder brings unique paintings done with fine and layered dotting. Georgina’s dreamings include Waterhole, Bush Yam and Meeting Place which she invariably presents in white on black.
Lucky Morton
Alyawarre woman Lucky Morton Kngwarreye, born circa 1962, is from Ngkwarlerlaneme Community (Kurrajong Bore) in the Utopia Homelands, Central Australia. In the late 80s, Lucky participated in the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) batik project. One of her batik on silk also became part of the Robert Holmes à Court Collection
Kathleen Kemarre
Kathleen Kemarre’s works provide a subtle and contemporary take on the country and how it divides through the Utopia Homelands. Within the lines of the land is where the bush yam is found, ground down and made into a paste which they apply to the exterior of their body to heal.
What Makes Aboriginal Art Special?
To some, Aboriginal art is a must-have. Not only are these works of art collected by people in Australia, but also those from all over the world. Each painting is unique and formed based on dreamings. Dreamings are stories that involve specific songs and ceremonies owned by tribes and their members to explain the creation of life, people and animals.
Others see these art pieces as good investment as over time, their value increases, depending on the reputation of the artist. Paintings displayed at Red Sand Art Gallery can start anywhere from $90 up to thousands of dollars. On the market, these paintings can appreciate in value dramatically, even reaching prices in the million-dollar range.
Red Sand Art Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
