ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS


Established in 1996, Alperstein Designs are a small family wholesale business supplying high end retailers, including galleries & museums, with quality, functional lifestyle gifts and homewares.

Whilst Alperstein Designs is not an Aboriginal owned business, they have long established relationships spanning over 15 years with many Aboriginal Artists and Art Centres. They work primarily with practicing artists whose primary focus is in art making with exhibitions within Australia and around the world. All Alperstein Design products are made in consultation with the artists and art centres and aim to complement their existing practice.

Alperstein Designs reproduce Aboriginal artworks, under license, on a range of functional lifestyle products so that you can bring some art into your everyday!


Royalties from these products benefit the artists and their community.

Ongoing royalties based on licensing agreements are paid and renewed periodically together with the Artists and Art Centre. Artists always retain copyright ownership of their artwork. Before going into production, Alperstein Design consult with the Artists and Art Centres to ensure that the products you enjoy have been signed off on and all products come packaged with information about the artists and the artwork.

Alperstein Designs are proud members of The Indigenous Art Code and The Aboriginal Art Association of Australia.


 

Aboriginal Art Code logo

The Indigenous Art Code is a system to preserve and promote ethical trading in Indigenous Art. The purpose of the Code is to establish standards for dealings between Dealers and Artists to ensure:

(a) fair and ethical trade in Artwork;  
(b) transparency in the process of promotion and sale of Artwork; and
(c) that disputes arising under the Code are dealt with efficiently and fairly.


The Aboriginal Art Association of Australia serves and represents artists, individuals and organisations that produce, promote, protect or support Aboriginal Art and the cultures that create and nurture that art. 



Why Aboriginal Art is Important

There are many benefits gained through Aboriginal art. For Millenia, Aboriginal stories whether sung, spoken or depicted pictorially, were passed from generation to generation. Today, the stories from part of the fabric of Australian modern history. Encouraging exploration the visual arts, in particular has been successfully used as a form of expression for many different groups within the Indigenous community. Moreover, they convey an indigenous point-of-view often more accessible to non-Indigenous communities, promoting understanding, acceptance and funding for such groups.

The visual arts have provided an avenue for the advancement of Indigenous women – in personal development and self esteem, financial independence and empowerment within their communities. Many Indigenous women have excelled in the visual arts including Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Dorothy Napangardi. The art-coordinator of Ampilatwatja art centre, which was formed by a group of senior women of the area, noted the benefits that involvement with the arts has provided.

 

Where to buy Aboriginal Art

Is Aboriginal Art a good investment? Dorothy Napangardi's works may be out of reach but did you know she had her first solo survey exhibition at the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) after only 11 years of painting? A plethora of new contemporary artists are emerging every year. But investment aside, if you simply love the surface patterns of Alperstein Designs' products you may want to consider researching that artist further. A good place to start is the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair or DAAF. Dozens of art centres from Queensland and the Nothern territory feature up and coming resident artists on this one portal. The Darwin Art Fair occurs every year. You may want to approach or visit an art centre directly following your initial search. The art piece can take on new meaning when the background story of the artist is taken into account.