Eminent National Gallery of Australia panel to probe APY scandal

The National Gallery of Australia board will consider appointing a top jurist to head an investigation into allegations white gallery staff had painted sections of Indigenous artworks.

National Gallery of Australia director Nick Mitzevich with Anthony Albanese and Arts Minister Tony Burke on April 5 during a gallery tour. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The board of the National Gallery of Australia will consider appointing an eminent jurist to head an investigation into allegations that white gallery staff had painted sections of Indigenous artworks in the studios of the APY Arts Centre Collective.

The Australian understands the board, to meet on Friday, is looking to appoint a retired judge, a respected Aboriginal person and an art expert to look into serious claims of white interference in the making of Indigenous art in the South Australian studios.

Its major winter exhibition, Ngura Pulka, features more than 20 artists who have produced paintings in the APYACC studios.

Meanwhile, the general manager of APYACC, Skye O’Meara, has not responded publicly to a growing call from gallery owners, industry figures, art buyers and even one of the collective’s artists to either step aside during the NGA investigation or resign.

The probe into APYACC practices was prompted by a months-long investigation by The Australian in which claims of inter­ference were made by five Indige­nous artists and six former gallery staff who worked alongside them.

The manager of Tjala Arts, Rosie Palmer, was captured on video painting on the canvas of Yaritji Young, one of the artists in Ngura Pulka.

The board of the collective and Ms O’Meara have consistently denied that white staff contributed to the artistic process in its studios.

The Australian sent questions to Sue Cato from crisis communication firm Cato & Clive, who has been representing the APYACC and Ms O’Meara, asking whether the management would step aside, or resign. Ms Cato did not reply.

The NGA investigation will look into the culture that allegedly allowed this to happen. It will also discuss delaying the exhibition as the probe is likely to take more than two months.

The NGA board is believed to favour the appointment of a completely independent panel to investigate the claims because of its many links with the APYACC.

NGA director Nick Mitzevich was previously director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, and knows many of the figures.

The NGA said: “Mr Mitzevich completely rejects the inference he has a conflict of interest in relation to this issue. The director has been actively involved with Indigenous communities across Australia over the past two decades.”

Sally Scales, a board member of the APYACC who was recently appointed to the board of the NGA, has recused herself from the board for discussions surrounding the investigation into her organisation.

Ms Scales, an artist, has also produced paintings that are due to hang in Ngura Pulka.

The entanglement is further complicated by the situation concerning Ms Cato, who has been advising the APYACC and Ms O’Meara in an attempt to halt the publication of The Australian’s investigation.

Ms Cato is on the National Gallery Australia Foundation and is a member of the gallery’s ethics committee.

The Australian sent questions to the NGA asking whether Ms Cato had given any advice to anyone on the board or to the management of the NGA on The Australian’s investigation? It did not directly answer the question.

“The gallery has clear and robust governance arrangements in place to actively manage conflict of interest,” the NGA said in a statement.

“The gallery’s council, committee members, management and staff are well aware of their obli­gations for reporting conflicts of interest.”

It added: “Sue Cato will recuse herself if the ethics advisory group considers any APY Land matters.”