The Papunya Tula Artists organisation representing the mainly Pintupi artists of Kintore and Kiwirrkurra in the Western Desert has signed an exclusive sales deal with Harvey Art Projects in the United States. Based in Sun Valley, Idaho but presenting events in New York, Los Angeles & San Francisco, Harvey Art Projects was founded by Julie Harvey who is a specialist in Aboriginal Art and Head Curator of the Stephen J. Luczo Contemporary Aboriginal Collection based in San Francisco.
The debut show of the new relationship opens next Friday at the Ketchum Gallery in well-heeled Sun Valley, and will run until the end of July with talks by Paul Sweeney, Manager of PTA and Julie Harvey, and a showing of the documentary film, ‘Mr Patterns’ about the life of Geoff Bardon, the man who first encouraged Aboriginal painters to put paint on boards and canvas at Paunya settlement in 1971. There will also be a special community cultural program of indigenous films at the Ketchum Community Library.
Twenty-one artworks are on show by leading PTA artists including Ningura Napurrula, Ronnie Tjampitjinpa, NATSIAA winners Yinarupa Nangala and Makinti Napanangka, Warrimpirnga Tjapaltjari and Matthew West Tjupurrula. Most are smaller works.
The Stephen J Luczo Contemporary Aboriginal Collection is a relatively new addition to the great American collections. Luczo has been CEO and Chairman of Seagate, the computer drive manufacturers which he helped to take private in recent years. He also has interests in sports teams, films and publishing.
