21st Century Beginnings

21st Century Beginnings is a showcase of richly painted artworks by artists from the western and central deserts, Top End and Kimberley. This exhibition represents the foresight of one of Australia’s major art collectors and patrons, businessman Patrick Corrigan AM, who is also Chairman of Gold Coast City Gallery.

Walangkura Napanangka, Women's Ceremony 2006, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. The Corrigran Collection.

Recognising the incredible wealth of activity and growth within recent central and western desert painting, Corrigan began collecting only new millennial works produced since 2000.

The depth and strength of the collection is the consequence of the collecting parameters set by Corrigan.

The exhibition presents shimmering and vivacious paintings which carry traditional narratives that speak of the individual culture of each artist, and their affinity with their country.

Many of the paintings have been created by artists who in their 60’s and beyond are picking up a paintbrush for the first time after years of mark-making in other mediums. The pulsating lines and vivid patterns of these works exemplify the fresh perspective of these emerging artists, while simultaneously conveying the rich history of their culture.

This is evident in a luminous painting by Violet Petyarre, titled Body Paint Design. Petyarre and her sisters, Eastern Anmatyerre people from Utopia, share the dreaming of the Mountain Lizard, a creature which is able to camouflage itself by changing the patterns and colours on its skin.

	Violet Petyarre, Body Paint Design 2005, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. The Corrigran Collection.

This provides a myriad of imagery for Violet and her sisters to paint. Through seemingly simple repeated lines in bold contrasting colours, this painting creates an optical illusion, which is enhanced by subtle tonal shifts.

A great number of these paintings will allow the viewer a chance to appreciate and revel in the power of pure colour, such as Women’s Ceremony by Walangkura Napanangka.

The exhibition retrospectively looks at the past 11 years of contemporary Aboriginal art and showcases many of the modern masters of Australian art, including Paddy Bedford, Sally Gabori, Minnie Pwerle, George Tjungurrayi, Tommy Watson and many more.

A feast of shimmering colour and a chance for Gold Coasters to see some of the country’s best contemporary Aboriginal art.