One of Melbourne’s Aboriginal heritage councils is facing a race against the clock, in a bid to stop two culturally significant artworks being lost to Australia when they go under the hammer at Sotheby’s New York auction house next week.
The two works – an earth pigment and charcoal on paper painting, and a carved hardwood parrying shield – were created by William Barak, a pivotal Wurundjeri ngurungaeta (leader), negotiator and artist in the mid to late 1800s.
