Art Centers

During the past four decades the valuation of Aboriginal art has increased exponentially, driven by a growing public awareness of its power, uniqueness and quality.  The dramatic rise in prices for Australian Aboriginal art has, unfortunately, resulted in the exploitation of vulnerable indigenous artists as well as the attendant development of gray market practices where pieces of questionable quality and provenance are offered to the public as legitimate masterworks.

Design Sydney-East is committed to ensuring that each Aboriginal artist we represent has been fully compensated for his or her work.  To this end, we support the efforts of two important organizations representing the interests of indigenous art centers across Australia, namely, the Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists (ANKAAA) and the Association of Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Centres (DESART).  Over ninety percent of Design Sydney-East’s purchases are made directly at art centers affiliated with ANKAAA or DESART.  We work directly with art center staff and directors, and with the artists in each community who sell their works through the centers.  Our number one priority is to represent each artist fully, fairly and with dignity.

Design Sydney-East provides a fully-documented provenance for each painting that includes the art center’s original catalog number, a certificate issued by the respective art center, and a description by the art center explaining the “story” being represented by the artist.  Further, we provide a thirty-day, full-refund return policy on all art represented through the gallery.

We encourage prospective clients to review ANKAAA’s and DESART's web sites prior to purchasing Aboriginal art.  Design Sydney-East is pleased to provide references to principals at the art centers upon request.