MELBOURNE
The biennial Melbourne Art Fair (MAF) (February 22–25) was back in force at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, attracting more than 15,000 visitors and achieving USD 9.53 million in sales, a reported 37-percent increase from its 2022 edition’s total of USD 7.8 million. This year MAF invited curators Tamsin Hong and Shelley McSpedden to spearhead its program, spanning more than 60 Australasian presentations including 11 young galleries established after 2016 and four Indigenous art centers; research-based projects from independent art spaces such as Gertrude and Firstdraft; and a commissioned performance installation Newretro, reworked by the dance company Lucy Guerin Inc.
The Sydney-based Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert presented new bronze works by Melbourne-based tapestry artist Tammy Kanat, known (2023), which was cast in metal from a tapestry work. The Wik & Kugu Arts Centre in Aurukun featured Keith Wikmunea, the recipient of the 2023 Telstra Art Award. Wikmunea’s popularity resulted in a sold-out booth, including the four-meter-tall sculptural work titled (2023), which fetched USD 79,000, the highest reported amount at MAF. The sculpture was carved from a milkwood tree found in North Queensland and features white cockatoos and galahs that represent Wikmunea’s parental totems.
