2/11/07

Bush windfall

The National Museum of Australia in Canberra recently received one of the nation's most important collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait art. Staff will make a stage by stage transfer of the collection, which is extensive. They have avoided allowing other organisations to 'cherry pick' from what is possibly an over-large collection: this seems to have been wise, especially since the accumulation varies from outstanding works to quite simple exercises delivered or acquired by the former ministerial guardians. When the inventory is finally completed, it will be made publicly available, not only in original form but also on the Museum's website. There are works by the late Jimmy Pike, Emily Kngwarreye, Rover Thomas as well as contemporaries Fiona Foley, Alick Tipoti and Sally Morgan.