The Foundation

Established in 2018, Fondation Opale is the sole contemporary art centre dedicated to the promotion of Indigenous Australian art in Europe.

Born from the passion of its founder, Bérengère Primat, to share the creative expression of Australia’s First Peoples, the foundation is built around her collection of more than 1,900 works – one of the largest private collections of contemporary Aboriginal art in the world.

Located in the heart of the Swiss Alps, in the Lens Art Centre (Lens/Crans-Montana), Fondation Opale hosts temporary exhibitions in its 1,200 m² of gallery space. These exhibitions highlight contemporary Aboriginal art while fostering dialogue with modern and contemporary artworks from across the globe, embracing the belief that art transcends borders.

The foundation’s mission is to give contemporary Aboriginal art the visibility it deserves – art that critic Robert Hughes called “the last great artistic movement of the 20th century.” Challenging Eurocentric narratives, Fondation Opale invites audiences to engage with perspectives that illuminate universal questions of identity, culture, and the human condition, convinced that contemporary Aboriginal art speaks to all.

As well as being a place of experimentation and excellence in the visual arts, the art centre aims to bring people together, regularly opening up to other disciplines such as the performing arts, music, film and literature through special events. Each exhibition is accompanied by a mediation program including creative workshops, thematic tours, lectures, and artist talks.

Finally, Fondation Opale publishes catalogues and reference publications on contemporary Aboriginal art and supports academic research projects as well as artists residencies. The art centre’s team works in close collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, art centres and communities whose work is presented. By carrying out all its projects with their explicit cultural permission, Fondation Opale places Australia’s First Peoples at the heart of its vision and activities.