Newsletter for February 2010

I am pleased to say that Aboriginal Art Online is hosting a sale of paintings from the central and western deserts to support the Western Desert Dialysis Program.

The sale starts on the morning of 15 February 2010 and will run for three weeks. More details are below.

The Program helps Aboriginal patients to receive medical treatment for kidney disease in Alice Springs as well as to set up facilities in their home communities at Kintore and Yuendumu. Net proceeds from the sale of each work will go to the Program.

This is your opportunity to purchase a quality artwork -  and at the same time to support this important Aboriginal-controlled initiative!

I have commented in previous Newsletters on the development of the Indigenous Australian Art Commercial Code of Conduct. This has now been finalized and was released in October last year.

An Administrative Committee for the Code has been appointed to accept signatories and to manage the Code. I am pleased to have been appointed as a member of the inaugural Committee. The Code is expected to be open for signatories within the next month or two.

The other big development in the commercial aspect of Aboriginal art is the introduction of the Resale Royalty. Legislation setting up the royalty was passed by the House of Representatives in September 2009 but has yet to be considered by the Senate. For examples of its proposed operation, see our page on the Resale Royalty.

Martin Wardrop
Director, Aboriginal Art Online Pty Ltd

We are selling more than 40 paintings to raise funds for the Western Desert Dialysis Program. This Program helps Aboriginal patients to receive medical treatment for kidney disease and to set up facilities in their home communities at Kintore and Yuendumu.

The Dialysis Program started in 2000, when people from the Western Desert painted pictures and held an auction at the Art Gallery of NSW which raised over $1 million. The funds raised allowed a dialysis facility to be set up at Kintore in 2004.

One of the artists featured in our sale, and a major contributor to the original fund-raising auction, is Patrick Tjungarrayi who lives in Kiwirkurra in WA. However he has to make regular trips to Alice Springs for medical treatment and this is very disruptive to his family and community life. Funds are urgently needed to extend the work of the "Purple House" (as the community facility in Alice Springs is known) to help provide facilities for people such as Patrick.

The paintings in this sale have all either been donated by individuals or galleries or contributed by community art centres. Net proceeds from the sale of each work will go to the Program.

Paintings in the sale range from larger, more expensive works to smaller pieces at modest prices (starting at $150).

Please help this very worthwhile cause by buying one of these fine art works!

Rene Nelson Irrunytju Mine 131x167 cm 2004	Rama Sampson Untitled 60x90 cm 2003	Yaritji Connelly Wati Ngintaka Tjukurrpa 80x124 2005

Patrick Tjungurrayi Miyilili 91x91 cm 2009	Makinti Napanangka Lupulnga 61x91 cm 2008	Ningura Napurulla Wirrulnga 91x91 cm 2009
Eubena Nampitjin Kinyu 60x90 cm 2009	Nora Wompi Kunawarritji 60x90 cm 2009	Helicopter Tjungarrayi Wangkartu 80x120 cm 2009
Shorty Jangala Robertson Ngapa Jukurrpa 107x152 cm 2007	Paddy Japanangka Lewis Mina Mina Jukurrpa 91x122 cm 2009	Liddy Napanangka Walker Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa 122x122 cm 2009
Tristan Robertson Jangala Water Dreaming 60x76 cm 2008	Kevin Wirri West MacDonnell Ranges 74x26 cm 2007	Alice Nampitjinpa Flowers in the tali 91x122 cm 2003

Establishing a code of conduct for dealing in Aboriginal art was a key recommendation of the report by the Senate Inquiry report in 2007 into Indigenous visual arts and crafts, which identified unscrupulous and illegal commercial practices towards Aboriginal artists.

Aboriginal Art Online contributed to development of the Code over the last few years and we are committed to seeing it put into operation.

The broad aim of the Code is to promote fair trade and commercial practice in the Indigenous visual arts industry.

Any persons or entities operating in the Indigenous art industry (such as dealers, agents, art galleries, auction houses and art centres, wholesalers and retailers) may apply to become a signatory to the Code.

Joining the Code as a signatory will be voluntary and once the Code Administration Committee confirms that the dealer's details have been recorded then the dealer will be bound by the Code.

The core of the Code is about the need for dealers working with artists not to engage in unconscionable conduct towards the artist or an artist's representative and to establish agreements with artists that meet a set of minimum requirements.

The Code provides that a dealer who transacts directly with the artist for the supply or acquisition of an artwork ("the First Dealer") may only supply that artwork to another dealer or person if it is accompanied by a Code certificate. Any other dealer can only supply a Code certificate if it is a Code certificate created by the First Dealer. This provision is intended to tighten the authenticity and documentation link from the artist to subsequent dealers or buyers.

I believe that this requirement for each art work to have a "Code certificate" will over time put increasing pressure on non-Code dealers to join the Code and to conform to its requirements.

While the Code is voluntary for signatories, there is a significant effort associated with its setting up, promotion, administration and enforcement. The Code Administration Committee has been established and consists of people from the industry, artists and other members. It is supported by a paid secretariat.