Fred Torres

Fred Torres is a respected Aboriginal art dealer, curator, and cultural advocate from the Utopia region in Central Australia. He comes from a family deeply rooted in the art world—his mother was the renowned artist Barbara Weir, and his grandmother was the iconic Minnie Pwerle. From this rich heritage, Fred developed a deep appreciation for Aboriginal art and culture from an early age.

In 1993, Fred founded the Dreaming Art Centre of Utopia (DACOU) in Adelaide. It became the first Aboriginal-owned art gallery of its kind and played a vital role in promoting the work of artists from Utopia and beyond. Through DACOU, Fred provided a platform for Aboriginal artists to share their stories, cultural knowledge, and creative visions with national and international audiences.

Fred was instrumental in supporting his grandmother Minnie Pwerle’s late but impactful artistic career. Under his guidance, Minnie began painting in 1999 and quickly gained widespread acclaim for her dynamic and expressive works, contributing to the broader recognition of Utopian art.

Fred’s dedication to cultural preservation has extended beyond his own generation. His daughter, Jade Torres, founded Pwerle Gallery in 2015, carrying on the family’s commitment to sharing and sustaining Aboriginal art and culture.

Fred Torres’s influence continues to be felt across the Indigenous art landscape. His leadership has helped bring Aboriginal voices and visual storytelling to the forefront of the Australian art scene, ensuring the next generation of artists has both a platform and a legacy to build on.