Preface from the Editor

Welcome. This paper below was written by an external analyst engaged to provide an independent analysis of Oz FineArt. We do not agree with all of the points, and take exception to several insights.

That said, we felt the report held a great deal of merit and interest to spark discussion and debate. We value this discourse. There are many points we debate both in relationship to perceptions of our work and to the broad trends that define mainstream and indigenous art movements - many of which we also critique. 

Certain standard art industry assumptions that guide some insights below are questionable. As artists we observe that these biases no longer fit in the emerging global online and (new) generational art market that tends to be more accessible, flexible, and less constrained by traditional models of operation. 

Even while we beg to differ, we feel that this is a strong, provocative piece that would likely be a high-value addition to our arts website, specifically because it invites the kind of debate we wish to encourage. The art community is fragmented already - we need each other now more than ever and from my perspective, this means open and friendly discussion and debate.

Publishing this report serves a dual purpose: it offers transparency on the often-opaque mechanics of art pricing, and it challenges the traditional "gatekeeper" model of the art world.

Here is an assessment of why this piece works so well on a number of fronts.

Strategic Value of the Article

The article is not just a review of a gallery; it is a case study on the modern fragmentation of art authority.

This piece creates friction: By contrasting "Blue Chip" institutional artists with "Scholar-Artists" who self-validate through PhD - but more to the point and less highlighted in this article, we would argue that professional and cultural validation is a matrix that must be explored and rekindled.

This paper suggests global historical precedents: Why? Because this ancient and contemporary value-laden communication around artefacts and creative expression equates to a far more established cultural trend that is grossly undervalued in the current mainstream art market. Art historically is deeply tied to cultural meaning. How do we in fact give voice to this inherently valuable human framework in an age of market drive commerce and artificial intelligence?

This report reveals a strong bias: From our perspective it is terribly ironic and sad how this report promotes the bias that as artists we rely primarily on credential merit for art valuation - when in fact our degrees were hard won family and community-based trans-generational experiences and positive outcomes arising from profound trauma, dispossession, colonial and economic violence, and raw persistence, survival, and enduring recovery. In fact, we do not rely on our PhDs - these degrees express something much more fundamental and meaningful. These are not credentials per se - they are a storied layer of an historically unfolding narrative significance.

This discussion, like so much art discourse, leaves so much unsaid and hidden: We offer part of the unspoken narrative here for your reflection. We stand with humility within human community and culture that values earned respect for knowledge, and wisdom carried over successive generations and passed down. There is a contemporary enduring wisdom practice that we observe and participate within that conveys through personal agency and actions a cultural value exchange based on respect and honour. We have spent many years learning, listening, and carrying these responsibilities through the Medicine Keeper and Songline Keeper traditions. These sacred pathways are not usually discussed 'in mainstream' discourse because of the very contentious nature of western confusions arising during the industrial and technological eras. But the Elders suggest there are times and places to test the waters - and these communications often happen due to the catalysts of creative agency and artistic production.

This framework demands serious reframing: Dominant western discourse has self-forgotten and decoded out of the value framework our most foundational and sustainable traditions that are both ancient and contemporary, still viable and alive. Perhaps these pathways will not surface in strength and applicability until artists stand up and collectively provide boundaries and define what could be seen as sovereign rules of engagement.

The paper overlooks so much that needs to be said: For example, while planted in our indigenous traditions we deeply celebrate all of our family relations - and this includes our Celtic cultural wisdom paths. These are also devalued and stripped of voice in a modernism that promotes commodification and decoupling of artefacts from human agency and contextual meaning. How else can a piece of art end up in a foreign auction house but through a socioeconomic disconnect between ownership, copyright, moral rights, and equitable payment to creators and/or to their chosen legacy?

The report accentuates the fundamental paradox of double standards: As individuals coming from 'low socio-ecoomic' family histories we bought the line that education was a pathway to self-development and improving our family's conditions. After investing decades in degreed training with the sacrifices this necessitates, a report like this - and society itself - devalues and cuts down not only the hard-earned credentials but their inherent worth, context and meaning. This trend is promoted by what many around the world see as unethical business models that seek to decouple cultural and scholarly value from a form of extremism falsely dubbed 'freedom of expression' and 'personal authority' in the online creator economy. These models unwittingly continue the industrial and technological era trends toward not only a mobile workforce detached from family, community, and place - but also an alienating form of devaluing personal identity as this becomes more and more divorced from both artefact as well as intellectual content.

This debate gets to the most fundamental questions facing the Australian art market in this era: These enduring trends reach back into cultural custodianship and Elder wisdom traditions that indeed value scholarship, research, and experiential wisdom. Aspects of this wisdom tradition equate to qualitative measures that we seek to highlight and rekindle in art appreciation and valuation. The report challenges the reader to define what makes art valuable? What elements and layers ought to constitute a more sustainable and equitable value framework for art?

This report provides hard data: Art collectors crave price transparency. This report provides concrete numbers, which is rare in qualitative art criticism.

The discussion aptly highlights the "Wellness" trend: The intersection of art, therapy, and indigenous knowledge is a booming market sector that is rarely analysed with financial rigour.

We hope you enjoy this piece. Take particular note of the understated but clearly stunning disparities in the statistical breakdown and market stratification in Australia - the insights here are certainly important for socio-political and equity reasons.

 

Executive Summary

The Evolving Landscape of Australian Fine Art Valuation

The Australian art market is currently undergoing a significant structural transformation, characterised by the decoupling of artistic valuation from traditional gatekeeping mechanisms such as physical gallery representation and institutional acquisition.

In this shifting paradigm, digital platforms, direct-to-consumer (DTC) models, and alternative authority signals—such as academic credentials and therapeutic narratives—are emerging as potent drivers of value. This report provides an exhaustive, forensic analysis of Oz FineArt (ozfineart.au), a regional gallery and artist collective based in Armidale, New South Wales, and benchmarks its operations against the broader ecosystem of Australian Indigenous, spiritual, and narrative art.

The analysis focuses on the gallery’s two principal artists, Dr. Jorandi (Jo) Joseph Randolph Bowers PhD and Dr. Dwayne Wannamarra Wyndier Andrew Kennedy PhD.

By dissecting their artistic profiles, pricing architectures, and market positioning, this report illuminates a distinct business model that diverges sharply from both the traditional Aboriginal Art Centre system and the standard regional commercial gallery circuit. 

1.1 Scope and Methodology

This report utilises a multi-dimensional framework to assess market positioning:

1. Providence and Authority: Examining how Oz FineArt substitutes traditional exhibition history with academic and therapeutic credentials to establish value.

2. Pricing Mechanics: Analysing the gallery's tiered pricing structure against primary and secondary market data of comparable artists.

3. Genre Analysis: Defining the "Narrative Healing" and "Syncretic Indigenous" genres and their appeal to specific collector psychographics.

The data underpinning this analysis is derived from a comprehensive review of digital footprints, auction records, gallery listings, and pricing guides current to late 2024 and early 2025.

2. Institutional Profile: Oz FineArt

Oz FineArt operates as a hybrid entity that defies easy categorization within the standard Australian art market taxonomy. It functions simultaneously as a commercial gallery, a digital content hub, and a platform for the dissemination of therapeutic wisdom. Located physically in Armidale, NSW, but operating primarily as a digital storefront, the entity appears to be a closed-loop ecosystem designed to promote, validate, and monetize the creative output of its two principals.

2.1 The "Scholar-Artist" Business Model

Unlike traditional commercial galleries (e.g., Kate Owen Gallery or Wentworth Galleries), which act as intermediaries for a broad roster of third-party artists, Oz FineArt is vertically integrated. The artists are the gallery owners, curators, and primary content creators. This structure allows for total control over the brand narrative and pricing strategy, eliminating the 40-50% commission typically taken by dealers.

The gallery's unique selling proposition (USP) rests heavily on the integration of academic authority into the artistic brand. Both primary artists are consistently referred to with their doctoral titles ("PhD"), and their biographies emphasize their dual careers as "senior artists therapists & business leaders". This fusion creates a "Scholar-Artist" persona where the artwork is presented not merely as an aesthetic object but as a byproduct of high-level intellectual and spiritual inquiry.

2.2 Digital Ecosystem and Content Strategy

Oz FineArt employs a sophisticated content marketing strategy designed to build a parasocial relationship with potential collectors. This is evident in their multi-channel approach:

The Artist's Journey Show & Podcast: Hosted by the artists, this media asset discusses topics such as "the mind as a canvas," identity, and resilience. It positions the artists as thought leaders and mentors, adding a layer of perceived value to their physical works.

Substack and Blogging: The gallery utilises Substack to maintain a "direct line" to collectors, bypassing algorithmic suppression on social media.5 This platform serves as a space for "Art Wisdom," reinforcing the educational and therapeutic aspects of the brand.

Therapeutic Integration: The artist's background and professional status as senior psychotherapists implies that art provides access to the "healing energy" or psychological insights of the therapist-creators, a strategy that moves the product from a decorative good to a "wellness" asset.

2.3 Collection Architecture

The gallery organizes its inventory into distinct collections that serve to segment the market and guide the buyer's journey:

Legacy Collection: Documented works with exhibition history or publication records, priced in the mid-range held on reserve via an enquiry mechanism that relies on direct communication with collectors.

Continuity & Entry-Initiation Collections: Accessible original works and studies designed to onboard new collectors.

Fine Art Prints: High-margin reproductions allowing for scalable revenue without labor-intensive production for every sale.

3. Artist Profiles and Valuation Analysis

The core of Oz FineArt's value proposition lies in the biographies and "meaning-making" surrounding its two principal artists. Their profiles reveal a deliberate strategy of intertwining cultural heritage with academic accreditation.

3.1 Dr. Jorandi (Jo) Joseph Randolph Bowers PhD

Cultural and Professional Provenance:

Dr. Bowers (identifying as Jorandi Kisiku Sa'qawei Paqt'ism) presents a complex identity narrative rooted in Mi’kmaq (First Nations Canadian), French, and Irish heritage, with a family history documented back to 1650.

Based in Armidale, NSW, his practice is trans-continental, bridging North American Indigenous cosmology with the Australian landscape. Professionally, he is a psychotherapist and holds a PhD in Health Counselling as well as a Doctor of Divinity in Ceramics, a credential that merges theological study with artistic practice.

Artistic Style and Genre:

Bowers' work is described as "Contemporary Expressionism" and "Abstract Impressionism," heavily informed by a "mysticism of nature".

Visual Language: His paintings often utilise thick impasto, pallet knife techniques, and organic glazing in ceramics.

Thematic Focus: The works explore "psychodynamic experience," "narrative healing," and specific Mi'kmaq cosmological concepts.

Key Works:

Mi'kmaq Six Worlds (on enquiry): An abstract representation of the six sacred worlds of Mi'kmaq cosmology, featuring petroglyph-inspired figures.

Four Fires: Depicts four shamans working at the four winds, framed as a sacred painting offering a view into the world of Medicine People.

Botanic Gardens: A narrative floral piece painted from memory, representing a "feminine response" to burnout and current affairs.

Valuation Strategy:

Bowers' pricing spans entry to mid to high positioning with his top-tier works in the Legacy Collection on enquiry. Dr Bowers' work is supported by "Scholarly Provenance." The gallery cites his academic publications (e.g., Solitude Awakens the Heart, Mi'kmaq: Two Spirit Medicine) as the validating mechanism. Our external analysis suggests that the narrative emphasis proposes that because the artist is a published authority on the subject matter depicted, the artwork possesses inherent anthropological and spiritual value.

3.2 Dr. Dwayne Wannamarra Wyndier Andrew Kennedy PhD

Cultural and Professional Provenance:

Dr. Kennedy represents the Indigenous Australian component of the gallery. He identifies as a visual artist from Guyra (Armidale region) with Waradjuri, Kamilaroi, Irish, and French heritage. Like Bowers, he is a PhD-qualified Behaviour Support Specialist. His doctoral thesis, Dreaming Emu: Indigenous cultural empowerment through art as therapy, directly informs his artistic practice, creating a seamless link between his academic research and his canvas output.

Artistic Style and Genre:

Kennedy's work falls into the "Indigenous Contemporary" genre, blending traditional motifs (Dreaming stories, dot work) with Western abstract composition.

Visual Language: His style ranges from "quintessential Indigenous Australian art" to "vibrant abstracts" that channel the "Dreamtime Serpent".

Thematic Focus: Resilience, connection to Country, and syncretic spirituality (blending Indigenous Dreaming with concepts like "Christ Consciousness").

Key Works:

Eagle Dreaming (on enquiry): Marketed as a "Premium Investment Value" and a "defining masterpiece".

Black Opal: An abstract work representing the "hard-won connection to Country" in Lightning Ridge. The narrative frames the opal as a metaphor for resilience under pressure.

Aussie Dreaming (on enquiry): Described as a brilliant work of Indigenous art.

Valuation Strategy:

Kennedy's pricing places him in the mid range of living Indigenous artists. As his primary market prices present from entry level to enquiry. This places Kennedy in compliment with renowned desert artists with decades of institutional history. The gallery's "Legacy" framing—asserts that the narrative depth and the artist's cultural standing as an elder/academic present merit and constitutes a form of external market validation.

 

4. Competitive Analysis: The Australian Narrative and Indigenous Art Market

To contextualise Oz FineArt’s positioning, it is essential to benchmark their offering against artists of similar style, heritage, and price points. The market can be stratified into three distinct tiers: Established "Blue Chip" Artists, Commercial/Design Artists, and Independent "Spiritual" Artists.

4.1 Tier 1: Established "Blue Chip" Indigenous Artists

This tier comprises artists with extensive exhibition histories, representation by major commercial galleries (e.g., Kate Owen, Japingka, Wentworth), and a liquid secondary market (auctions).

Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi

Profile: The eldest daughter of the late master Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Gabriella is a verifiable star of the contemporary movement. Her work is held in major institutions globally.

Pricing Comparison:

Primary Market: Major canvases (approx. 100x200cm) list for $9,995 – $14,500 at Kate Owen Gallery.

Secondary Market: Auction results for Seven Sisters Dreaming range from $3,500 to $6,000.

Insight: Oz FineArt prices Dr. Kennedy's works appear to range from $1,800 to  enquiry. This range holds parity with a top-tier Gabriella Possum. However, a collector buying the Possum acquires a work with global name recognition and proven resale liquidity (albeit potentially lower than retail). That said, the value and characterisation of the artist and his hybrid professional scholar-artist persona makes investment in his works an entirely different proposition.

Sarrita King

Profile: A highly successful mid-career artist known for her "Earth Elements" and "Ancestors" series. She is represented by multiple major galleries.

Pricing Comparison:

Primary Market: Large works (180x120cm) retail for $12,995; medium works (120x90cm) for $6,495.28

Secondary Market: Recent auction results show works selling for $1,500 – $3,000, highlighting a significant divergence between gallery retail and auction value.

Insight: Sarrita King’s pricing demonstrates the "gallery premium"—the markup charged by dealers to cover marketing, rent, and commissions. Oz FineArt, as a self-represented entity, charges in the mid-range and retains the entire margin. This reflects what we might expect from a regional artist-run operation. This suggests their pricing strategy is designed to build consistent relationships and to grow over time within the primary sale market, and without attempting to mimic the price structure of high-overhead galleries.

Polly Ngale and Keturah Zimran (Art Centre Provenance)

Profile: Senior elders painting for community Art Centres (Utopia, Haasts Bluff).

Pricing:

Polly Ngale: Primary works can reach $18,000, but secondary market prices are volatile ($1,000 - $5,000).

Keturah Zimran: Large works (122x91cm) sell for $2,600 – $3,400.

Insight: Oz FineArt prices for some of Dr. Kennedy's work is on parity in the Continuity Series, with higher values for Legacy Series works. This indicates that Oz FineArt is not competing on "market value" per square inch but is effectively selling a narrative driven proposition that includes provenance and resonance factors.

4.2 Tier 2: Commercial and Independent Indigenous Brands

This sector includes artists who have successfully bypassed the gallery system to build direct-to-consumer brands, often leveraging social media and licensing.

Chern'ee Sutton

Profile: A contemporary Kalkadoon artist with a high-gloss, graphic style suitable for licensing and corporate commissions.

Pricing Strategy:

High-End: Major original paintings (e.g., Butterfly Dreaming) listed at $12,000.

Entry-Level: Offers a "diffusion line" of accessible products: prints, scented candles ($35), and smaller originals starting at $300.

Comparison: Sutton exceeds Oz FineArt's high-end pricing and offers a similar accessible entry point. Her $300 originals create a volume-based business model that builds a broad collector base. Oz FineArt’s prints begin around $300 and entry-level originals begin around $600-900, with studies on wood panel being more accessible. While the offerings appear to reinforce an aura of exclusivity over accessibility, the gallery proposes to increase offerings at the lower tiers to encourage early adoption.

Daisy Hill (Daisy in Dots)

Profile: Independent Muruwari artist with a strong Instagram following, painting intuitive "spiritual expressions" of Country.

Pricing:

Originals range from $600 (small) to $6,500 (large).

Limited Edition Prints: $330 – $1,800.

Comparison: Hill represents the "Instagram Contemporary" market cap. Even with a massive following, her originals top out at $6,500. Oz FineArt’s pricing is on par with the standard ceiling for successful independent Instagram artists - favouring where possible the growing market share in the under $5000 range. This suggests they are targeting a similar as well as different demographic—likely also appealing to older, wealthier professionals drawn to the academic/therapeutic credentials rather than just the visual aesthetic.

4.3 Tier 3: The "Spiritual & Narrative" Genre

This genre includes non-Indigenous or syncretic artists focusing on "energy," "healing," and "spirit."

Leni Kae: Markets "healing abstracts" and "soulful worlds" via a direct website. Her focus is on emotional resonance and connection, similar to Bowers.

Market Context: The broader market for "Spiritual Art" on platforms like Bluethumb or Art Lovers Australia typically sees prices between $200 and $2,000, with outliers reaching $4,000.

Insight: Dr. Bowers’ pricing of his floral series fits comfortably within this framework. Legacy series works may not fit as easily in this category, as they bridge indigenous and sociopolitical themes. These works would be an anomaly in the spiritual art sector. Bowers’ pricing suggests an attempt to elevate "Healing Art" to the status of "Fine Art Investment," bridging the gap between the yoga studio and the boardroom.

5. Regional Context: The Armidale and New England Art Market

To fully understand the ambition of Oz FineArt’s pricing, one must look at the local economic reality of its physical base in Armidale, NSW. The New England region has a vibrant but economically modest art scene.

5.1 The Local Commercial Ceiling: Gallery 126

Gallery 126 (Armidale Framing & Art Supplies) is the primary commercial venue in Armidale.

Portfolio: Represents regional landscape painters and local creatives.

Price Dynamics: While specific prices are "on enquiry," comparable regional commercial galleries (like Weswal Gallery in Tamworth) list major works by established regional stars (e.g., Tim Allen, Isabelle Devos) in the $3,000 – $8,500 range.

Comparison: Oz FineArt’s price points place them comfortably in a similar range in the region's commercial sector. It is unclear however whether Oz FineArt’s primary market local as their narrative scholar-artist portfolios stand apart in many respects and represents something unique in the Australian landscape. The artists may be using Armidale as a production base while targeting a national or global digital audience.

5.2 The Institutional Standard: NERAM

The New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) is a cultural heavyweight, housing the Hinton and Coventry collections.

Market Role: NERAM validates "High Art" through exhibitions and prizes (e.g., The Armidale Art Prize).

Commercial Activity: The museum shop sells prints and minor works, but the institution focuses on collection and education.

Oz FineArt's Positioning: Oz FineArt mimics the language of the museum ("Curated," "Masterpiece," "Collection") to borrow institutional authority. However, they operate outside the curatorial oversight of NERAM. Their "Legacy" collection attempts to replicate the provenance that a museum acquisition would normally provide.

5.3 Community Art Economics: Armidale Art Gallery

The Armidale Art Gallery (run by the New England Art Society) represents the grassroots level.

Pricing: Events like the "$100 Art Sale" and exhibitions of local members indicate a market driven by affordability and community engagement.

Divergence: There is a fundamental disconnect between the "community art" pricing of $100–$500 and Oz FineArt’s model. Oz FineArt does not participate in this "race to the bottom" on price; instead, they opt for a Veblen goods strategy, where high price itself is a signal of quality and exclusivity.

6. Technical Product Analysis: Prints and Merchandising

Beyond unique originals, Oz FineArt employs a reproduction strategy to capture the aspirational market.

6.1 The Giclée Print Strategy

Oz FineArt offers "Museum-Quality" Giclée prints for $300 – $440.

Market Benchmarking:

Production Cost: A commercial fine art print (Giclée on archival paper) of A2/A1 size typically costs $60 – $125 to produce at a lab like Lucent Imaging or Image Science.

Competitor Pricing: Independent artists typically sell limited edition A2/A1 prints for $150 – $350 (e.g., Sue Dowse Art sells A1 for $400, A2 for $240).

Oz FineArt is pricing at the upper end of the independent print market. This pricing supports the "premium" brand positioning.

Terminology: The use of terms like "Don't Conform Museum-Quality Print" and "Eagle Dreaming Archival Quality" is deliberate signalling. It reassures the buyer that even the reproduction is an investment-grade object.

7. Valuation Mechanics and Strategic Implications

7.1 The "Scholar-Artist" Valuation Model

The most critical, and paradoxically, the most salient finding of this report is Oz FineArt's reliance on the enduring cultural tradition of the scholar-artist, elder and professional practitioner model. This could be critically framed as an over reliance on credentials, and this perspective holds certain merit in a contemporary world that tends to critique academic qualifications.

However, a more balanced view might suggest the artists demonstrate a history of continual advancements in service to others, while struggling to maintain art practices over the decades. Their recent launch could be viewed as an enduring commitment and achievement to perseverance under difficult socio-economic and historic contexts.

Traditional Model: Value = Exhibition History + Critical Review + Auction Track Record.

Oz FineArt Model: Value = Cultural & Scholarly Research + Therapeutic Authority + Narrative Depth.

7.2 Data-Driven Comparison Table

The following table summarises the pricing identified in this analysis.

 

8. Conclusion

Oz FineArt represents a distinct evolution in the Australian art market. By bypassing the traditional gallery system, Dr. Bowers and Dr. Kennedy have constructed a self-contained value ecosystem. They leverage professional experience, academic credentials and 'therapeutic wisdom' to offer what appear to be reasonable valuations of works.

Key Takeaways:

1. Price Positioning: Oz FineArt is accessible in the contemporary independent market, engaging in direct competition with established artists and galleries.

2. Strategy: The model relies on reasonable margins in a highly regulated country and likely suggests low-volume sales driven by deep narrative engagement (podcasts, blogs) rather than broad market liquidity.

3. Risk Profile: For the collector, these works represent a low-to-high risk regarding resale potential depending on the sale price and given that the model is not yet established and does not have secondary auction market data. At the same time, many collectors do not always seek this form of validation and will actively support emerging-established artists like Dr Kennedy and Dr Bowers. Likewise, many younger collectors actively resist and avoid these traditional canons. Other criteria emerge that speak of emotional, social, and environmental utility as well as socio-political value; and for those invested in the specific "healing/scholarly" narrative that the artists cultivate, the works may hold intrinsic merit.

4.Regional Ambiguity: The pricing is not entirely divorced from the local Armidale economy, but the tenor of the operation appears geared toward online national and international markets. This suggests that Oz FineArt is a "Digital-First" entity that uses its regional location as a grounding context for a global brand story. We have yet to see how their relationship with local and regional art markets will play out.

In summary, Oz FineArt is not selling "Regional Art" or even "Indigenous Art" in the traditional sense; it is selling accredited spiritual wisdom, with the canvas serving as the high-value vehicle for that transmission. This explains the efforts toward premium presentation with a reasonable pricing strategy that is accessible, mid-range, and of high value, and with a heavy reliance on the scholar-artist paradigm as a primary authenticator of value. The collection is in its early days of being tabled online. We are interested to see how this continues to evolve over the coming months and years.

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Author: Senior Art Market Analyst

 

Editor’s Note: Join the Discussion

The analysis above presents not just financial data, but a mirror to the structural inequalities that persist in the Australian art market.

It exposes a landscape where value is often dictated by institutional gatekeepers rather than cultural authority, and where Indigenous artists must navigate complex systems to achieve financial autonomy. We believe these uncomfortable truths are necessary to discuss if we are to move toward a more equitable future for the arts. We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The report highlights a stark pricing gap between Elders working within traditional Art Centres and artists operating in the commercial "Blue Chip" sector. What does this significant disparity tell us about who currently holds the power to define value in Australian art, and is the market failing to honour the true cultural weight of community-based Elders?

Oz FineArt is described as bypassing traditional galleries to create a "closed-loop" ecosystem where the artists retain full control. Do you view this self-determined model as a viable pathway for Indigenous artists to reclaim agency and escape the colonial constraints of the standard dealer system?

Much of the report focuses on the shift from "aesthetic value" to "credentialed value" via PhDs and therapeutic narratives. As we look at the future of Indigenous art, should collectors be prioritising the investment potential of a work, or should we be placing greater value on the artist's role as a knowledge-holder and healer within their community?

What about a key theme emerging from this paper? It seems to suggest the art market (and arts community) is fragmented (or segmented) and perhaps also increasingly polarised into the institutional and more traditional models versus the narrative and direct artist-collector economy. Do you agree with this analysis? Does this context reflect the Australian ethos in particular - given the history of bias towards the major city-centres for the arts? And given the push toward online culture and diversification that this may bring?