The Week's Focus – Women Artists

The Australian auction market is currently experiencing a welcome increase in demand for works by women artists across all genres.

This comes off the back of a dedicated push by public institutions, for example, the Know My Name initiative at the National Gallery of Australia, and several female artist retrospectives including Clarice Beckett: The Present Moment at the Art Gallery of South Australia and Joy Hester: Remember Me at Heide Museum of Modern Art. Exhibitions and initiatives such as these have given these artists a new level of appreciation, both culturally and commercially.
 
Menzies has seen competitive bidding for women artists in our recent auctions, some results of which can be seen below. We are currently looking to consign works by similar artists, with a particular interest in Nora Heysen, Rosalie Gascoigne, Clarice Beckett, and Grace Cossington Smith.

Images above: left to right:

DEL KATHRYN BARTON
Openly Song 2014
EST: $200,000 - $300,000
Sold February 2020 for $282,273 (inc. BP)

INGE KING
Constellation 1999
EST: $6,000 - $9,000
Sold November 2020 for $15,955 (inc. BP)

EMILY KAME KNGWARREYE
Wildflower Dreaming 1995
EST: $10,000 - $15,000
Sold November 2020 for $29,455 (inc. BP)

ETHEL CARRICK FOX
Stanwell Park c1913
EST: $6,000 - $9,000
Sold July 2020 for $13,500 (inc. BP)

NORA HEYSEN
Still Life c1950
EST: $10,000 - $15,000
Sold July 2020 for $17,182 (inc. BP)

MIRKA MORA
Welcoming the Blue Moon 2014
EST: $7,000 - $10,000
Sold November 2020 for $15,341 (inc. BP)

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ASTA CAMERON
Assistant Art Specialist
7 May 2021