Compass Australia Paintings
Ethically Sourced Indigenous Artwork
Having strong connections with the Indigenous communities of Australia, Compass is proud to exhibit some of our first nations peoples most talented artists.
Compass is committed to supporting fair practices by working directly with the artists, limiting overhead costs, and ensuring ethical standards are adhered to as outlined by the Indigenous Art Code. Being able to provide ethically sourced indigenous artwork ensures the continuity of this cultural tradition and supporting sustainable lifestyles for the artists.
Compass Director, Michael Spark, has been fortunate enough to experience a longstanding relationship with the indigenous groups of rural Northern Territory, having been adopted into their tribes and given a new name, ‘KiddyKid’.
Unfortunately, there have been cases where Aboriginal artists in rural Australia receive disproportionately small percentages of their sale price, especially when intermediaries or commercial entities take significant commissions.
In some instances, artists may receive only a small fraction. Sometimes as low as 3-5% of the sale price. Efforts by organisations like the Indigenous Art Code, aim to improve ethical standards and ensure artists receive fair compensation. However, it can be almost impossible to record and report violations of this code or ensure that artwork purchased is ethically sourced.
Such situations often occur when artists lack bargaining power, are unaware of their rights, or when they sell through third-party agents, galleries, or online platforms that impose high commissions. This underscores the importance of supporting fair trade practices, transparency, and empowering artists with knowledge about their rights and optimal sales channels.
Although we praise the efforts of art dealers who do act in such exploitative ways.
