Vigorous probe exposes weakness of NGA’s response

NGA Director Nick Mitzevich. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The announcement of an inquiry into the APY scandal under the auspices of the federal government in conjunction with the governments of South Australia and the Northern Territory confirms the inadequacy of the investigation commissioned by the National Gallery of Australia.

This much more limited inquiry had already been regarded with scepticism by many, and with derision by several prominent Indigenous authorities, because it excluded a consideration of whether the interference of white assistants might have been contrary to Indigenous custom and law.

Many more allegations of white interference or assistance have emerged since this scandal was broken by Greg Bearup’s original article.

For artists and galleries who are no doubt authentic and honest, the truth must be clearly and credibly established if the Aboriginal art business is to continue to thrive.

Whatever comes out of this inquiry, however, the APY scandal will undoubtedly mark an important turning point in a market that has been overheated for far too long, inflated by a mixture of speculative greed and virtue signalling.

Meanwhile, this announcement also catches out the media outlets that have tried to ignore or downplay this story, as well as the institutions that have huddled together for safety in the storm and continue to promote works whose provenance and authorship are, at the very least, under question.

Christopher Allen is The Australian’s national art critic