Stolen Aboriginal Paintings found!

Good news everyone!

The Aboriginal Art stolen overnight in Darwin has been recovered

Stolen Aboriginal art found in Australian bushland

Tue Apr 1, 2008 2:23am EDT

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Seven historic Aboriginal paintings were found in bushland in the northern Australian city of Darwin, several hours after they were stolen from a Northern Territory art gallery, police said on Tuesday.

The seven paintings included six works from the Papunya Tula, or Western Desert Art Movement of central Australia, which popularized the indigenous art movement in the 1970s with their dot paintings of traditional stories.

"The paintings ... were located in bushland near the Darwin Bowls and Social Club," police said, adding one man had been taken into custody for questioning over the theft.

Papunya Tula paintings are among the most popular and valuable in Australia, with a 1977 work by the late Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri selling for A$2.4 million ($2.2 million) in 2007.

Gallery director Anna Malgorzewicz said the paintings were historically significant works.

"They are one of the first bodies of work from that area, so they (are) historically very significant," she said.

Aboriginal Art Works Stolen

Some bad news today with the overnight break in at the NT Museum and Art Gallery. People within the Aboriginal Art industry need to be vigilant and on the look out for these pieces. Making it impossible for the thieves to sell the works is the best way of reducing thefts like this in the future and will also help to recover these works.

'Priceless' works stolen from gallery

April 01, 2008 10:03am

Article from: AAP

• At least eight works stolen from gallery
• Thieves broke window to get in
• Gallery is renowned for Aboriginal art

AT least eight priceless artworks have been stolen in a heist at the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery in Darwin.

Police said security staff at the museum, in the Fannie Bay district, raised the alarm shortly before 4.30am (CST) today after finding thieves had smashed a window to get inside before fleeing with the paintings.

The stolen works include six Papunya Tula style paintings as well as a central Australian watercolour painting from the Namatjira family.

The gallery is renowned for its collection of Aboriginal art.

"At least eight paintings have been taken from the display area in the museum," Darwin Police Watch Commander Bob Harrison said.

"We've had the museum staff initially attend and they've told us that the value of the paintings is priceless, so we are carrying out further investigations.

"We're getting our forensic people and our investigators to carry out further investigation at the scene."

Heist ... an example of work by the Papunya Tula artists, Kaakuratintja (1979) by Uta Uta Tjangala, similar to those stolen from an art gallery in Darwin / Image supplied

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