‘Sung into Being: Aboriginal Masterworks 1984–94’ features more than 100 works from a period when Aboriginal art began to be more widely shown and appreciated in Australia as fine art. It draws together work by major artists from the Maningrida region in central Arnhem Land, N.T. and the Kimberley, W.A., who were at the forefront of this intensely productive moment of art-making.
Among the highlights are paintings by Rover Thomas (c.1926–98), and works on bark and canvas by Jack Wunuwun (1930–91) and John Bulunbulun (1946–2010) that present visual records of their clan manikay (song cycles).
The Perth-based Holmes à Court family collected extensively and secured a vital artistic legacy by developing focussed holdings from individuals and artist groups in this period. Works in ‘Sung into Being’ are predominantly from the Janet Holmes à Court Collection, joined by works from QAGOMA and the National Gallery of Australia.
Image: Rover Thomas, Australia 1926 – 1998 / Untitled c.1987 / Earth pigments and natural binders on canvas.
