Just off Given Terrace on Campbell Street in Paddington is a little-known emporium of highly significant fine art. Speaking to the owner of Red Sand Art Gallery, Peter King, for five minutes gives you a sense of the amazing life he has led in the world of aboriginal art.
Between 1996 and 2009, Peter owned two Aboriginal art galleries in the Northern Territories, and he would drive 300 km in order to supply canvas and paints to a wide range of artists, many of whom became Aboriginal art stars.
The vast range of art ranging in price from $100 to several thousand dollars has been bought by some of the biggest collectors in the world and particularly by the many overseas clients that visited his galleries in Alice Springs and Titree.
Artists from the Western Desert and Utopia Homelands were responsible for the vast majority of the Red Sands collection. Many of the artists are considered highly collectible, some are sadly deceased.
Peter was very careful to collect provenance of each work, taking pictures during the creation process and getting certificates of authenticity. Artists include Cowboy Louie Pwerele, Greeny Purvis, Kathleen Petyarre, Linda Syddick, Tommy Watson and Lindsay Bird.
In 2007 a painting by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, a 632cm by 275cm Synthetic polymer paint on linen with four panels, sold for $1,056,000.
When asked of the great joy of Aboriginal art, Peter King said: “You see something new every time you look at these works; they have several layers.”
Termite-eaten didgeridoos are also on sale at Red Sand, and you don’t get more authentic red centre than a termite-eaten didgeridoo.
The Red Sand Art Gallery is mesmerizing. You should give yourself a good hour to browse, stare and look deep into this amazing art in this tucked-away corner of Paddington. It holds real history, beauty and no doubt great investment potential.
Peter opens the gallery from Tuesday to Saturday between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.