Beyond Sacred documents Laverty Collection of Aboriginal art with essays and reproductions
The 2008 publication "Beyond Sacred: Recent Paintings from Australia's remote Aboriginal communities," released by Hardie Grant Books, showcases the contemporary Aboriginal art collection of Colin and Elizabeth Laverty. This 352-page book includes reproductions, photographs, and essays honoring artists such as Rover Thomas and Paddy Bedford, with contributions from Judith Ryan and Nick Waterlow. Aboriginal art received global recognition following Bruce Chatwin's 1986 work "The Songlines." According to the Myer Report in 2002, the industry was valued at $200 million, with artists earning $50 million. Concerns regarding attribution and exploitation remain. Robert Hughes described it as "the last great art movement of the 20th century." The most recent significant exhibition in New York occurred in 1988, while European showcases are more common.
Key facts
- Colin and Elizabeth Laverty published "Beyond Sacred: Recent Paintings from Australia's remote Aboriginal communities" in 2008
- The 352-page book documents their collection of contemporary Aboriginal art with essays and reproductions
- Featured artists include Rover Thomas, Queenie Mackinzie, Prince of Wales, Jan Billycan, Nyuju Stumpy, John Mawurndjul, and Paddy Bedford
- By 2002, Aboriginal art was estimated as a $200 million annual business with only $50 million reaching artists
- Robert Hughes called Aboriginal art "the last great art movement of the 20th century"
- The last major New York exhibition of Aboriginal art was at the Asia Society in 1988
- Eight Australian indigenous artists collaborated with architect Jean Nouvel on installations at Musée du quai Branly in Paris
- Emily Kame Kngwarreye had her first international retrospective at Tokyo's National Art Center
Entities
Artists
- Colin Laverty
- Elizabeth Laverty
- Rover Thomas
- Queenie Mackinzie
- Prince of Wales
- Jan Billycan
- Nyuju Stumpy
- John Mawurndjul
- Paddy Bedford
- Terry Winters
- Matthew Ritchie
- Mark Bradford
- Julie Mehertu
- Emily Kame Kngwarreye
- Judith Ryan
- Nick Waterlow
- Will Owen
- Howard Morphy
- Apolline Kohen
- Will Stubbs
- Andrew Blake
- Emily Rohr
- Tony Oliver
- Paul Sweeney
- John Carty
- Bruce Chatwin
- Robert Hughes
- Robert Steele
- Jean Nouvel
Institutions
- Hardie Grant Books
- Asia Society
- Musée du quai Branly
- National Art Center Tokyo
- Strand Bookstore
- Venice Biennale
- Commonwealth of Australia
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia
- Prahran
- Victoria
- New York City
- Paris
- France
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Europe