Lost and found: The missing painting will be removed from sale after it was offered for auction as part of the late American billionaire and philanthropist John W Kluge's estate. Photo: Joe Armao
A SIGNIFICANT Papunya Tula painting missing for more than 10 years has turned up at auction in Melbourne, and its journey — from hanging in a remote Northern Territory health service to yesterday’s withdrawal from sale as part of an American billionaire’s collection — is rockier than Uluru.
The work, catalogued as Old Tatump and Natuma Tjaltjarri (1915-1987), was last month identified by Melbourne-based curator John Kean, formerly arts adviser to Papunya Tula Artists and the interim administrator for Pintupi Homelands Health Service at Walungurru (or Kintore) community in the NT in the mid-80s.
Mr Kean says he commissioned the work, depicting the journey of the Pintupi and Luritja people from Papunya, where they unhappily lived from 1957 to 1981, to their homeland 530 kilometres west of Alice Springs, from artist Charlie Wartuma, a founder of Papunya.
The work was part of the late American billionaire and philanthropist John W. Kluge’s collection being sold tomorrow night through Mossgreen Auctions to benefit Columbia University, where Mr Kluge studied. It will now be repatriated to the health service for its historic, not financial, worth.
Dubious sales have plagued this important art movement, and establishing provenance remains the most challenging issue facing the indigenous Australian art market today — and this painting, despite the happy ending, is no exception.
Several weeks ago, Mr Kean was showing a slide of the large acrylic on plywood story board during a lecture at the Victorian Arts Centre, explaining it had disappeared 10 years ago, when a member of the audience told him it was in the latest Mossgreen catalogue under a different title.
Mr Kean, who believes it is the work he commissioned despite the title difference, alerted Mossgreen’s indigenous art specialist, Shaun Dennison, and Pintupi Health Service board.
Mr Dennison traced the provenance and the Pintupi Health Service board wrote to Columbia University explaining the work’s historic significance, requesting the work’s donation.
Mr Dennison says he believes the painting’s disappearance from the health service goes back further. Documentation shows it was purchased by the Mr Kluge in 1996.
Mr Dennison cites four prior owners – a ranger in the Kintore area, Peter Bartlett; Yuendumu community dealer Peter Van Groesen; Kimberly Art director Peter Harrison; and the Museum Art International Adelaide director, David Cossey.
Mr Kean said last night that discussions he had had with senior health worker at Pintupi Health Service, Marlene Nampitjinpa, and board member, Tommy Conway, indicated that the painting had been “illegally taken” from the health service.
Mrs Nampitjinpa, who still works at the health service, says “it must have been wrapped in a blanket at night time and taken away”.
Source: www.smh.com.au
Vandals target pupils’ Diamond Jubilee artwork - The Bolton News
Vandals target pupils’ Diamond Jubilee artwork
8:42am Monday 4th June 2012 in Local
VANDALS ripped down children’s artwork celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee — just hours after it was put on display.
Paintings and collages marking the occasion were tied to railings at Astley Bridge Park, in Moss Bank Way, on Friday evening in time for the Bank Holiday weekend. They had been created by pupils at primary and secondary schools in the area in a project organised by Astley Bridge Area Forum.
But the cable ties securing several pieces of artwork were cut overnight.
Astley Bridge councillor, Hilary Fairclough, said: “The artwork looked splendid. It was a real array of views of what the young people thought of the Jubilee.
“This should be a time of celebration and the children put such a lot of effort into the artwork.
“It’s shocking that someone has cut the cable ties, especially so soon after the artwork was put up. I’m very disappointed.”
Cllr Fairclough and fellow ward councillors returned to the park on Saturday morning to reattach the paintings.
She added: “We have secured the artwork again with more robust ties and contacted the police to ask them to keep an eye on the work when they are in the area.”
Taking part in the project were pupils from High Lawn, Sharples, The Oaks, St Paul’s and Holy Infants primary schools, along with those from Thornleigh Salesian College and Sharples High School.
The artwork will remain on display until tomorrow and each school will receive a voucher from the area forum to put towards an art project.
Source: www.theboltonnews.co.uk
Palmyra student's artwork to be displayed in U.S. Capitol - msnbc.com
PALMYRA — Something just drew Madeleine Calhoun to art.
“I’ve been doing art my entire life,” the Palmyra High School senior said. “It’s an outlet for me. I really like to express how I’m feeling through my art.”
The 17-year-old’s artwork has not gone unnoticed.
A series of oil pastel sketches that depict some of Madeleine’s travels recently won the 2012 Congressional High School Art Competition for the 1st Congressional District of New Jersey.
“I was shocked, of course,” Madeleine said about winning the competition “It’s crazy. It’s really an honor.”
Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors the competition to recognize and encourage the artistic talent of students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories. Each member of Congress hosts a competition among high school students in his or her district. Panels of local artists select the winning entries, which are then displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year.
Since the competition’s inception in 1982, more than 650,000 students have submitted entries.
This year, Madeleine’s entry to U.S. Rep Rob Andrews, D-1st of Haddon Heights, took the top prize.
Madeleine’s art teacher, Michael Budden, said the school has entered the competition before but never won.
“I think it’s fabulous,” Budden said. “I’m proud of her. It’s kind of rare when you consider the couple hundred entries.”
But not that rare for Madeleine. Her piece already won a Merit Award at the Burlington County Teen Arts Festival in March.
The sketches feature nine landscapes from as far away as California, Maine and the Florida Keys.
“It makes me go back and relive those moments,” Madeleine said of the work. “There’s something about the feeling you get when you do that. It’s a joy for me.”
Budden said he was impressed by how well Madeleine captured the moment and expressed her emotions in her artwork.
“I think she got across to the viewer how she felt about those places,” he said. “All nine (sketches) were equally good.”
But not necessarily easy.
“The hardest part is to get the right blend of colors,” Madeleine said. “I didn’t plan on doing so many. I just made one and it came out all right, so I just made more and more of them.”
Obviously, they came out all right, too.
“I just like that I can do what I love while having other people enjoy it,” Madeleine said.
Later this month, she will join the rest of the winners from across the country for an awards ceremony in the nation’s capital.
“I’m expecting it’s going to be a fun couple of days in D.C.,” Madeleine said.
Source: www.msnbc.msn.com
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