In a powerful display of international prominence, Australian First Nations art took centre stage at both Frieze London and Frieze Masters in 2024, marking a turning point for Indigenous visibility in the global art market. D’Lan Contemporary made history in 2023 with “Emily Kam Kngwarray: Everything” at Frieze Masters—the first time an Australian Indigenous artist was featured—and sold eight of nine works for US $2.7 million. The following year, the gallery returned with a presentation of Gija artist Paddy Bedford (also known as Nyunkuny or Goowoomji), whose sombre compositions, rich in ancestral storytelling and country, commanded attention in the company of Greco-Roman and modernist masters—selling two pieces at US $250,000 each, for over US $1.3 million in total. Simultaneously, Sullivan+Strumpf brought Yolŋu artist Naminapu Maymuru-White to Frieze London; her intricate bark paintings, illustrating the Yolŋu concept of Milŋiyawuy—the intersecting paths of the river and Milky Way—were snapped up entirely by European collectors before the fair even opened, and a 17-piece installation was acquired by Tate Modern. These developments reflect a broader reshaping of art history, one where First Nations artists are no longer sidelined but instead celebrated for their narrative depth and cultural significance.
By Zeta Xu