A leading First Nations aboriginal artist from Australia, Maymuru-White’s work is rooted in spiritual narratives of family, ancestry and human connection. Her work has been gaining ground in recent years – indeed other galleries at Frieze carried her works and which had had duly sold. River of Stars evokes a recurring narrative in her work, which tells the tale of two men in a canoe, attempting to get their clan to safety, but who perish in the river which then also depicts an avenue connecting the land to the skies, stars and the Milky Way. Looking down at us and reflecting all the souls of the clan, the monochromatic artwork speaks to a sense of collective humanity. The story was regularly part of the oral tradition in Maymuru-White’s Maŋgalili clan, while the creation of the work itself – using chalk and clay painted on bark – echoes this very transmission: having first learnt the artistic technique from her father, Maymuru-White is now passing this down to her children.
Tate Britain’s acquisition of River of Stars is believed to be the first time that an arts institution has purchased a piece of work commissioned by a corporate sponsor. The Columbian-Swiss Jenn Ellis, Breguet’s 2024/2025 arts curator for Frieze, says that deep-pocketed corporate partnerships not only help plug a gap in recent cuts to arts funding, but their support can also, more crucially, highlight how brands can truly be actors in shaping a cultural legacy. Corporate partnerships, she says, “can reflect a brand’s value system, but it also challenges them to consider what is being passed on,” she says. “Art is a really empathetic but also critical way to express that.” Ellis further cites An Atlas of Us, an exhibition by the artist Dawn Ng that she commissioned for Frieze New York, and which – through Breguet’s support – enabled the Singaporean artist to exhibit in New York for the first time. “Corporate sponsorships not only reflect [a company’s] values, but you're also somehow involved in a kind of careful matchmaking that, if done well, can really open up a lot of meaning for the brand and the artist both,” says Ellis.
At Breguet’s lounge at Frieze, River of Stars joined other panoramic wallpaper depictions of Maymuru-White’s work, a feature that is always part and parcel of the Breguet x Frieze booth, whether in New York, Seoul or Los Angeles. The works present a wonderful backdrop to Breguet’s watchmaking collections, from Queen of Naples to complicated models in its Tradition collection, while a watchmaker is also on site for live demonstrations. It’s a wonderful accompaniment to a buzzy art fair rooted in artistry, craftsmanship and meaning – and echoing a partnership that will only continue to beautifully flourish.
