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The Koori Mail www.koorimail.com
April 25, 2007 p.15
Syron Art Collection Is Going To Auction
By Solua Middleton
What is believed to be the biggest Aboriginal-owned collection of
Indigenous art in Australia will go under the auction hammer in Sydney
early next month.
The auction is expected to dispose of more than 1,000 souvenirs,
history,artefacts and other cultural items after artist Gordon Syron
was forced to liquidate his Black Fellas Dreaming Gallery.
Mr Syron, who suffered a financial setback after artwork at the
Gallery's premises in Bangalow, in northern NSW, suffered water damage,
estimates the extensive collection to be valued at $1million.
He said he would be sad to see the collection go, as it had been 30 years in the making, but it was unavoidable.
Still, he's hoping that it might be bought in its entirety by a single buyer and kept together.
He says that while he understands the collection comes from a private
business, it is too historic and valuable collectively to be split up,
so he circulating a petition to shore up support.
"It was a sad day deciding that we had to sell , we wouldn't be selling if we could help it,"
Mr Syron told the Koori Mail.
"The reason for the auction is that it was very difficult to make a living out of Aboriginal
culture."
"We've contacted a few financial groups like Richard Branson and Russell Crowe to see
if they are interested in buying the collection and keeping it as a whole."
"There aren't too many collections of this size that are put together by Aboriginal people from
an Aboriginal perspective."
Musician and activist Michael Franti has signed the petition to keep the collection together.
"It is very important for the self-esteem for Aboriginal people, as in that it is a record of
history from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people," he said.
"We can't keep sweeping the history under the mat."
Artists in the collection include Emily Kngwarreye, Clifford Possum,Gabrielle Possum,
Gordon Hookey, Michael Nelson Jagamarra, Malcolm Jaggamarra, Gordon Syron,
Bronwyn Bancroft, Robin Nganjmirra, Djawida Nadjongorie, Lily Sandover,
George Millipirru and Lily Karadada.
The auction will take place at Bonhams & Goodmans auction from 7-9 May. Contact
Mr Syron on 0421031392 for details.
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