How is Aboriginal art authenticated at Art by Farquhar?

Every painting sold at Art by Farquhar comes with a Certificate of Authenticity documenting the artist, their community, the story behind the work, and provenance details. Art by Farquhar is a proud member of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia (AAAA), which binds members to a strict code of conduct ensuring artists are treated fairly, transparently and with respect.

Where do Art by Farquhar's artists come from?

Art by Farquhar works directly with artists and their families from two of Australia's most significant Indigenous art regions: the Central Desert of the Northern Territory, including communities such as Willowra and Yuendumu; and the APY Lands of South Australia, home to artists from Ernabella (Pukatja), Watarru and surrounding homelands. The gallery has built direct relationships with artists over many years.

Can I buy Aboriginal art online from Art by Farquhar?

Yes. Art by Farquhar's full collection is available to purchase online at farquhar.art, with shipping available Australia-wide and internationally. Paintings can be purchased as unstretched canvas or stretched and ready to hang (stretching available for Adelaide customers). The gallery is also open in person at 1070 South Road, Edwardstown, South Australia.

What is the APY Lands and why is the art significant?

The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands is an Aboriginal-owned area of approximately 103,000 square kilometres in the far north-west of South Australia. Artists from the APY Lands paint stories passed down through their families — Dreaming stories that connect people to their country, culture and ancestors. Art by Farquhar works closely with APY Lands artists including Janice Stanley, Rhoda Tjitayi, Susan Tjitayi and Renae Nakamarra Nelson.

How much does Aboriginal art cost at Art by Farquhar?

Art by Farquhar's collection ranges from small works under $500 through to major statement pieces over $10,000. Pricing reflects canvas size, artist reputation, complexity of the work and cultural significance. The gallery does not discount — prices reflect the genuine value of each work and the fair payment made directly to artists.

What is the Mamungari or Spirit Woman Dreaming?

Mamungari (also called Mamungari-Nya) is a creation story from the APY Lands describing Spirit Women travelling across country. It is a story passed down through family lineage and belongs to specific custodians. At Art by Farquhar, Renae Nakamarra Nelson — granddaughter of celebrated Papunya Tula artist Michael Jagamarra Nelson — paints the Mamungari story taught to her by her grandmother Manyitjanu Lennon.

What is the Pantu or Salt Lake story painted by Janice Stanley?

Pantu is the Pitjantjatjara word for salt lake. Janice Stanley, a third-generation artist from Ernabella in the APY Lands, paints the salt lakes near Mt Connor as part of the Seven Sisters creation story. Her distinctive contemporary style depicts these ancient lakes from a bird's eye view, using flowing lines and vibrant colour to capture the shimmering desert landscape.

What is the Piltati Tjukurpa story painted by Rhoda Tjitayi?

Piltati Tjukurpa is an ancestral creation story belonging to the Tjitayi family from Pukatja in the APY Lands. The story follows two sisters, Wanyinta and Alartjatjarra, who travelled Piltati with their husbands hunting and gathering food. Rhoda Tjitayi, born 1969, paints this story passed down from her grandmother. Rhoda's work is held in the collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Does Art by Farquhar offer art rental or consulting?

Yes. Art by Farquhar offers an art rental service for businesses and individuals in Adelaide looking to display original Aboriginal art in their space. The gallery also provides no-obligation art consultation for those looking to select works for home or commercial interiors. Contact the gallery at farquhar.art for more information.

Is Art by Farquhar an ethical Aboriginal art gallery?

Art by Farquhar is a member of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia (AAAA), the national industry body committed to ethical and fair trade practices in Aboriginal art. The gallery works directly with artists and their families, ensures fair payment, and provides full provenance documentation with every work. The gallery does not source art from third parties or secondary markets.

Aboriginal Art New Zealand - Collections and Buy Online

New Zealand has a deep and genuine appreciation for Australian Aboriginal art. Shared geography, a strong tradition of Indigenous cultural respect and a sophisticated collector base make New Zealand one of the most natural markets for original Aboriginal paintings outside of Australia itself.

Aboriginal art and New Zealand collectors

New Zealand collectors bring a particular sensitivity to Aboriginal art. The ongoing prominence of Maori culture in New Zealand life - its art, language, spiritual traditions and relationship to land - gives many New Zealanders an intuitive understanding of what Aboriginal painting is actually doing. The concept of ancestral connection to country, the transmission of cultural knowledge through art, the importance of story and lineage - these resonate deeply with collectors who have grown up alongside a living Indigenous culture of their own.

This cultural literacy makes New Zealand one of the most engaged international markets for serious Aboriginal art collecting. New Zealand buyers tend to seek works with genuine cultural depth - paintings by artists with documented connections to their stories and country, acquired through galleries with transparent provenance.

What is Aboriginal art?

Aboriginal art is the world's oldest continuous art tradition, spanning at least 65,000 years. The contemporary movement began in 1971 at Papunya in the Northern Territory, when senior Warlpiri and Luritja men began painting their Dreaming stories onto canvas - a permanent form that could be shared with the world. From that single community the movement spread across the Western Desert, the APY Lands of South Australia, Arnhem Land and the Kimberley.

Every painting is a map, a story and a spiritual act simultaneously. The dots, circles, lines and animal tracks that define Western Desert painting are not decorative. They are a visual language encoding knowledge about country, law and ancestral events that has been passed down through generations. Our What is Aboriginal Art page covers this in depth, and our What is the Dreaming page explains the spiritual framework behind the works.

The APY Lands and Central Desert

Art by Farquhar specialises in paintings from the Central Desert of the Northern Territory and the APY Lands of South Australia - the heartland of the Western Desert painting tradition. Artists from communities including Yuendumu, Willowra, Papunya and the APY Lands work within living cultural traditions that connect directly to the original Papunya Tula movement of the 1970s.

The APY Lands in particular are producing some of the most compelling painters working in Australia today. Women's Dreaming stories - including the Mamungari Dreaming and the Seven Sisters Dreaming - are painted by artists with inherited cultural authority over the stories they depict. These are works of genuine depth, not simply visually striking canvases. Our APY Lands page introduces the region and the artists we work with most closely.

Buying Aboriginal art from New Zealand

Art by Farquhar ships original Aboriginal paintings to New Zealand collectors regularly. Works are carefully packed and fully insured for international transit. Every painting comes with a Certificate of Authenticity documenting the artist, their country, their language group and their connection to the story depicted.

Buying through a reputable gallery ensures full provenance and fair dealing. Art by Farquhar is a member of the Australian Aboriginal Art Association and works directly with artists and their families - not through intermediaries. Our guide to buying authentic Aboriginal art covers what to look for and what questions to ask.

Aboriginal art as a long-term holding

Original paintings by significant Aboriginal artists have appreciated substantially over time. Works by artists including Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Rover Thomas and Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri have achieved strong results at major auction houses internationally. Scarcity, cultural significance and growing global recognition underpin the long-term market. For New Zealand collectors looking to build a meaningful collection, the APY Lands and Central Desert represent one of the most compelling opportunities in the contemporary art world.

Art by Farquhar

Art by Farquhar is Adelaide's specialist Aboriginal art gallery, housing one of Australia's largest private collections of original paintings from the Central Desert and APY Lands. Every work comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and full provenance documentation. We ship worldwide including to New Zealand with free international shipping.

Our gallery is at 1070 South Road, Edwardstown SA, open Monday to Friday 9:30am-4:30pm, Saturday 10am-1pm and Sunday 12pm-3pm. New Zealand collectors are welcome to visit when in Adelaide.

Browse the collection or contact us at sales@farquhar.art.