SmithDavidson Gallery returns to The Armory Show, held at the Javits Center from 6–8 September 2024. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, The Armory Show continues to be a pivotal event in New York's international art scene, featuring diverse art presentations, curatorial programming, live conversations, and public projects.
For this special edition of The Armory Show, SmithDavidson Gallery will present the curated exhibition “Old Traditions, New Perspectives”. As a premier promoter of Australian Indigenous Art for over two decades, SmithDavidson Gallery has presented works from this art movement in museum exhibitions and international venues since 2007.
The exhibition will feature significant works by renowned artists from the Kimberley and Utopia regions, including Rover Thomas Joolama, Paddy Nyunkuny Bedford, Freddie Timms, and Emily Kam Kngwarray. From its beginnings in Papunya in 1971 to its recognition at major international exhibitions like the Biennale di Venezia and shows at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Australian First Nations Art has seen a remarkable rise in interest and visibility. While much attention has focused on artists from Papunya and the Western Desert, this exhibition will also highlight the equally influential artists from the Kimberley and Utopia regions.
Highlighting the exhibiton will be ten exceptional works by powerhouse artist Emily Kam Kngwarray, who will be celebrated in the upcoming solo exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, in 2025, the artist’s first major museum retrospective in Europe.
These iconic artists will offer a comprehensive overview of the movement's diverse facets and direct attention to significant historical events affecting indigenous communities, such as the Bedford Downs massacre and the lost generations tragedies. Drawing on traditions dating back at least 40,000 years, Australian Indigenous Art exemplifies how art can foster appreciation and understanding of traditional cultures suppressed by colonial and contemporary Western society.
Join us at The Armory Show 2024 to explore these powerful works and gain insight into the rich heritage and contemporary relevance of Australian Indigenous Art.
