The Art Gallery of Western Australia talks about the recently announced Indigenous Art Prize as well as possible acquisitions.

“We moved heaven and earth to find $500,000 to buy a Rover Thomas painting recently and we’ve got great Emily Kngwarreyes. Indigenous art is one area of the collection where we can attract world attention for what we do, if we do it well.”

The lucrative new Western Australian Aboriginal Art Award, launched last month, will help focus gallery attention on contemporary indigenous art. Dufour will sit on the judging panel, and 16 artists will be selected for exhibition at the AGWA in November. First prize is $50,000.

“The way the prize is structured, it will cause our curators to have even greater involvement with indigenous artists,” says Dufour. “All of the 16 artists will be brought to Perth. And everything in the prize we will have first look at.