If I was told at the beginning of this most choppy year that we’d be on the verge of a sell-out annual exhibition right in the middle of yet another Victorian lock-down, in all honesty, I didn’t see it that clearly.

 Then the momentum of April, May and June came along – led purely by the quality of the incoming consignments, a successful auction of ethically sourced artworks at Deutscher + Hackett, and by the many messages of support from a number of our respected interstate and overseas colleagues – and I soon became buoyed.

 Now two weeks into the current exhibition, all of our hard work in New York last year and the awareness and momentum gained from the exhibitions with Gagosian is now paying off. I cannot tell you how pleased we are with the level of enthusiasm and interaction from our expanding international client base, but equally importantly – with a re-engaged and more discerning Australian market.

 To put this into present context – in 2019, 100% of our sales were made overseas. 100%.

 And in 2020, the year that the Covid truck hit us all, it was a position that left us slightly vulnerable. Fortunately, that year also brought the Kelton collection with a highly publicised transaction which saw us through the year strongly. 2020 ended up being our highest turn-over by value to date.

 And now to the present, and 2021; sales are back to approximately 50% international and 50% Australian – a really encouraging sign for the overall market indeed.

 But I can also report that we are once again seeing a strong surge in international demand and it’s not dissipating because of the worldwide political recalibration that we are all seeing.

 The opening night of Significant was a tremendous success considering the imposed limitations coming out of lockdown. With no lure of wine and cheese, the respectful crowd ran like a well-oiled Covid machine, filing in and out with precision. It reminded me of being in Japan (oh, those were the days) – maintaining respectful orderly social distance while appreciating the quality of the artwork and enjoying a well-earned night on the town at the same time.

It was a memorable night and we thank those of you who could join us.

With that enthusiasm and renewed market sentiment, our aim is to make our newly opened gallery D’Lan Contemporary an inclusive cultural destination. We are thrilled to be in the city, located within a sophisticated hub where you can not only entertain – but be entertained. As we establish ourselves in this exciting environment, we wish to give back more than ever. Here at our new home at Exhibition Street, we are perfectly placed to offer a series of public programs which will be aligned with our exhibition schedule.

 We look forward to introducing you to our forthcoming program of curated exhibitions and accompanying events inspired by the quality of the artwork presented.

 Stay tuned for further gallery developments and announcements – it’s time to get out on the town again!

 The first of those activities will be a floor talk on Saturday 10th July led by Dr John Kean, gallery curator Vanessa Merlino and myself. It will be a memorable afternoon to share valuable insights and to learn. And yes we will have a glass of wine for you this time!

 So make sure to click on the RSVP at the bottom of this email to register your place as numbers are strictly limited.

 What is most exciting about this new position that we find ourselves in is an in-depth understanding of our strength and where we can add value to this industry: to present, market and sell important works of art that are backed by impeccable provenance and supported by well-respected scholarly content. It is a service that we are honoured to offer and one which we all take seriously.

 That is our cultural strength. And it is where the combination of cultural differences – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous – can come together and thrive – clearly.

 D’Lan.