The commercial art world is an international $30 billion plus industry. There are also signs that the art is now entering the mainstream financial markets. Interest in art as an alternative investment has recently attracted the attention of prestigious banks. In March 1996, a researcher for the Art Monthly magazine published an estimated figure of $100 million AUD., of sales annually of Aboriginal art. One can only speculate what height these figures have now reached, as Aboriginal art continually takes great leaps in the world. And all this from an art movement that kicked off no earlier than in 1973!

World renowned critic and writer Robert Hughes has described Australian Aboriginal Art as “the world's last great art movement,” and investors are paying great attention to this ever increasing art market. Collector magazine in Australia annually produces a top 50 of the most collected Australian artists, and the Aboriginal artists are being represented increasingly in this prestigious list of contemporary artists. Outside Australia, the collectors have become ever more numerous, and the countries that have showed special and especial interest are the U.K, The United States, France, Germany, Japan, and Italy.

When in the mid 1970's Aboriginal artists first started exhibiting internationally, there was very little demand for the rate at which the Papunya artists produced their art work. When these international exhibitions were over, the art coordinators and artists didn't think it wise to bring back the works into the market. The artists decided to give the paintings as gifts to the various museums, with the condition that they exhibit them. This decision was extremely important, because it made people familiar with the aboriginal art movement, and was later considered as one of the best marketing moves ever made in the field. This may, to a degree, explain the reason why some of the best early Aboriginal art is overseas and not in Australia.

We are glad to represent some of the biggest names in Australian Aboriginal art. Many of these artists are held in private and public collections in Australia and abroad. Please to not hesitate to contact us about any questions you may have regarding any financial planning advice or any other queries.