Top End women give ‘fresh’ approach to marketing Indigenous art

A fresh approach to connecting Indigenous art to younger audiences has arrived as the doors of a Top End gallery open.

There’s a space for a fresh approach to marketing Indigenous art to younger audiences and it’s a gap two Darwin women are striving to bridge.

What was once a “derelict” icon of Parap is now a creative space filled with light and striking Indigenous artwork, thanks to Nina Fitzgerald and Laura Shellie.

Ms Fitzgerald and Ms Shellie have created a creative hub connecting Aboriginal artists to broader demographics with Laundry Gallery.

Creative director Ms Fitzgerald says the space will not only hold exhbitions displaying Territory indigenous art but art from interstate too. Picture: Floss Adams.

“I think there’s a space for a fresh approach to marketing Indigenous art, particularly at younger audiences,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“I think there’s a lot of young people now that want to know about Indigenous Australia and learning about it through the arts and culture is a really nice way to do so.

“’Old stories, new spin’, that’s our tagline.”

Planning to connect with their targeted audiences through platforms such as Instagram, the enterprising pair aim to market small art pieces that are at a lower price point and more affordable for young people.

Ms Fitzgerald says there is a common misconception that all Indigenous art cost ‘thousands’, she says it doesn’t always cost a fortune like smaller artworks such as weavings or prints on paper. Picture: Floss Adams.

“Art is largely from remote art centres, most of the population is never going to go out to a remote community and to their art centre,” she said.

“But when you do there is so much of this stuff so we’re also trying to help move some of that stock and showcase those artists and their stories and their lives.”

The business duo could not pinpoint the exact end goal for the ever-evolving space but the plan for the time being was to develop it into a multidisciplinary creative space.

“They’ll be lots of different things happening in here, we don’t want to limit ourselves,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“But this space (Laundry Gallery) will be a beautiful gallery space and there’ll be lots of different things popping up with different events.”

The Laundry Gallery in Parap has sat dormant for many years, Ms Fitzgerald remembers it fondly as a once functioning laundromat during her childhood in Darwin. Picture: Floss Adams.

So far the gallery has held three workshops each with a separate theme about kinship, language and culture.

An online shopping portal will soon be added to the already live website which will mean anyone, anywhere will have access to some of the worlds best art.

“So many ideas, we’re just excited to get going really. It’s only been a month.”