In the expansive world of art collectors, Barrie and Jude Le Pley stand out as exemplars of passion, patronage and pure provenance. Since the early 1970’s, their unwavering dedication to Indigenous art has resulted in the creation of one of the country’s most remarkable collections. Kaapa Tjampitjinpa was a key figure in the Papunya movement. His contributions, rooted in the Anmatyerre, Warlpiri and Arrernte cultures, unfolded against the backdrop of the Papunya settlement in the 1970s. Sandhill Dancing Dreaming – Version 1 1971 (Lot 36 ) exemplifies Kaapa’s distinctive style from this early period.
Their journey began in the 1980s when Barrie and Jude went on flying trips to remote Aboriginal communities. These excursions not only allowed them to witness art creation firsthand but also forged personal connections with the artists.
Beyond personal acquisitions, the Le Pley’s became champions of Indigenous art, funding special projects, commissioning programs for emerging artists and contributing to return-to-country initiatives. Their efforts extended to facilitating public exhibitions at Australian embassies in Washington and Beijing, along with the production of related publications. In 2012, the Le Pley Collection highlighted the Spinifex people in the first survey of their art, titled Spinifex: People of the Sun and Shadow at the John Curtain Gallery in Perth.
Leonard Joel will present 75 selected works from the Le Pley Collection, emphasising ethical provenance that supports the safety and longevity of Indigenous art practices.
Kaapa Tjampitjinpa was a key figure in the Papunya movement. His contributions, rooted in the Anmatyerre, Warlpiri and Arrernte cultures, unfolded against the backdrop of the Papunya settlement in the 1970s. Sandhill Dancing Dreaming – Version 1 1971 (Lot 36 ) exemplifies Kaapa’s distinctive style from this early period.
Shifting to the Balgo settlement, Ena Gimme Nungurrayi (Lot 31 ) emerges as a leading artist in the 1980s. Influenced by her mother Eubena Nampitjin, Ena began painting in 1989, capturing the significance of water sources and food in her works. Other Balgo pieces include Bai Bai Napangarti (Lot 2 ) and (Lot 46 ), Elizabeth Nyumi Nungurrayi (Lot 9 ) and a significant, early work by John Mosquito Tjapangarti (Lot 60 ).
Originating in 1977, the Utopia Women’s Batik Group played a pivotal role in introducing Aboriginal women to the art of batik painting. This women’s group impact extended beyond art, empowering the community economically and culturally. The funds raised through batik sales facilitated a successful claim for Alaya and Anmatyerre freehold titled over the Utopia Pastoral Lease in 1979, returning ownership to its traditional inhabitants. “The Summer Project” 1988/9 facilitated by the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) introduced the women’s Batik group to paintings. It springboarded many of the most recognised Utopia painters onto canvas, although the batik medium has still been favoured by many into the 21st century with 6 exceptional examples featured within The Le Pley Collection of Indigenous Art to be auctioned by Leonard Joel on 21 November 2023.
