Yeien indigenous art label to help stem tide of fake artworks and souvenirs on Gold Coast

ART shonks peddling fake indigenous art as the real thing have been warned: You are now a target. More than 80 per cent of indigenous art is inauthentic and a new Gold Coast group has formed to fight the fakes.

Yeien label collaborators Leesa Hickey (Designfront), Lisa Sorbie Martin (artist), Joe Geia (artist), Simon Koger (iAM Projects) and artists Neville Torrisheba and Glenn Barry. Picture: Jo-Anne Driessens.

A GOLD Coast indigenous brand has been formed to help weed out shonks “painting dots on boomerangs” and selling them to tourists as authentic art.

The Yeien label has been developed to protect the rights of genuine local indigenous artists and educate prospective buyers.

The indigenous Art Code estimates up to 80 per cent of indigenous artworks and souvenirs sold in Australia are inauthentic and wants laws to ban the sale of fake art introduced before next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Yeien (pronounced YAY-en) plans to release its first line of branded, authentic Gold Coast indigenous art products in time for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Artist and musician Joe Geia is one of the artists involved in new Gold Coast indigenous art label Yeien.

The range will feature merchandise based on artwork produced by local artists who’ve attended Gold Coast City Council’s South Stradbroke indigenous Artist Camp.

A breeding ground for ideas and inspiration since it launched in 2014, the camp on South Stradbroke Island offers a base for artists to access to unique flora and fauna where creativity, ideas and experimentation can flow.

While the Gold Coast City Gallery showcases an exhibition of the participating artists’ work after each camp, Yeien is the first economic development project to evolve from the annual gathering.

Local artists including Lisa Sorbie Martin, Joe Geia, Neville Torrisheba and Glenn Barry hope the brand will help them reclaim their share of the lucrative indigenous art industry from rogue operators.

Libby Harward’s Yunggulba Guriba Yabruma (Always in the tides), a work in mangrove mud and sand, created at the 2016 South Stradbroke Island Indigenous Artist Camp. Picture: Jo-Anne Driessens.

Mayor Tom Tate said Yeien would allow artists to oversee their work from inception and product design through to distribution and retail.

“We want to encourage locals and tourists alike to recognise and support ethically designed and sourced products to protect indigenous culture and to support artists’ income streams,” he said.

“Yeien is right on track to have products in market by April of 2018.”

Work on the project began last year with mentors including Simon Koger from iAM Projects and Leesa Hickey from Designfront helping the artists select preliminary designs for a retail range, a pricing model and a distinctly identifiable Gold Coast logo and branding.

Mr Koger said Yeien would release a limited line of merchandise to test the market before expanding the volume and variety of items in the future.

The new label will ensure the Coast’s indigenous community and its artists retain control of goods that bear their art and guarantee buyers they’ve acquired a genuine work of indigenous culture made by or with the consent of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and their community.

An exhibition of work by artists who attended this year’s Stradbroke Island camp is on display at Gold Coast City Gallery until November 5.