History

Pwerle Gallery's story doesn't begin in 2015 — it begins three decades earlier, with one family's commitment to sharing Dreamings on their own terms.

1993 — DACOU is founded.

Fred Torres establishes DACOU, the Dreaming Art Centre of Utopia — a 100% privately owned, non-government-funded gallery built on direct family relationships rather than institutional distance. Long before industry standards existed, Fred advocates for cultural authority, fair pay, and first-hand provenance.
1990s — Bringing Emily and Minnie to the world.

Fred facilitates and documents the work of his great-aunt, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, including her masterpiece Earth's Creation and her Final Series. He is also the first to recognise and support the painting career of his great-aunt Minnie Pwerle, who begins painting in her 80s.
1993–2015 — Three decades, 300+ exhibitions.

DACOU curates more than 300 exhibitions across Australia and internationally — New York, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Seoul and Singapore — establishing Utopia as a global centre of contemporary Aboriginal art.
2015 — Pwerle Gallery is founded.

Jade Torres (Jade Akamarre), daughter of Fred Torres, founds Pwerle Gallery — carrying DACOU's legacy of integrity and family-first representation into a new generation.
2024 — A new chapter.

Pwerle Gallery undergoes a rebrand to align with Jade's evolving vision: fusing tradition with contemporary presentation, while remaining rooted in cultural truth-telling.
Today.

Fred Torres remains a vital part of Pwerle Gallery as a full-time artist, global art advisor and senior curator. Jade leads the gallery from Hackney, Adelaide, representing four generations of her family by appointment only.