Aboriginal Art Collection at Musée Paul Valéry

The Musée Paul Valéry in Sète presents 'Voyage en art aborigène', an exhibition of 70 works from Pierre Montagne's private collection, running until September 26, 2021. The show highlights the diversity and virtuosity of contemporary Aboriginal art, featuring pieces from various Australian communities including Arnhem Land and the Central Desert. Artists such as Betty Mpetyane Club, Michelle Possum Nungurrayi, Polly Ngale, Nancy Campbell Napanangka, Kathleen and Gloria Petyarre, Edward Blitner, Maringka Baker, and Madeleine Purdie are represented. The collection traces the evolution from traditional forms to modern abstract expressions, with a significant focus on female artists who have gained international recognition. Pierre Montagne notes in the catalogue a bifurcation between tradition and contemporary art driven by the market. The exhibition emphasizes the deep cultural roots of Aboriginal art, its connection to the Dreamtime, and its role in land rights advocacy. The works, dating from the 1970s onward, demonstrate a transposition of sacred iconography onto durable canvases, marking the birth of contemporary Aboriginal art.