A boriginal Art returns to Sotheby’s New York with our most significant offering to date, highlighting the dynamic and diverse artworks produced by Australia’s First Nations, the world’s oldest continuous culture. The selection traces the history of Australian Aboriginal Art from a group of rare and exquisite 19th century weapons and other artifacts, a major rediscovered work by the greatest 19th century Aboriginal artist, William Barak, to fine sculptures and bark paintings from the mid-20th century; and continues with the ‘renaissance’ that took place beginning in the 1970s to the present with important works by the ‘Desert Masters’ such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Mick Namarari and Ronnie Tjampitjinpa. The current generation of activist artists including Vernon Ah Kee and Richard Bell represent the continuation of this art movement into the 21st century.
