Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke to probe black art scandal
Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke has confirmed he is investigating allegations of significant white interference in Indigenous paintings.
Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke has confirmed he is investigating allegations of significant white interference in Indigenous paintings, highlighting “creative control” as a key issue.
The Albanese government’s involvement marks a major escalation in the controversy ignited by The Australian’s reporting on alleged practices at South Australia’s APY Art Centre Collective.
Mr Burke said he had already spoken to officials within and outside his department and planned to probe more widely the claims centred on the APY collective.
“After returning from leave, I have met with my department to discuss this issue. I have also spoken with the South Australian government,’’ he said.
‘‘Over the coming days, I will be speaking with a range of other stakeholders to get their views on the allegations raised and the appropriate response.
“There is nothing wrong with an artist being assisted to create their work – as long as the artist maintains creative control. The issue of creative control lies at the heart of the allegations that have been raised here.”
Five Indigenous artists who worked for the APY Art Centre Collective and six former white gallery assistants who worked alongside them have claimed white studio staff regularly interfered with the collective’s Indigenous artworks.
The Australian’s investigation includes video evidence of a white manager from the Tjala Arts Centre, which is part of the collective, painting on the canvas of prize-winning Indigenous painter Yaritji Young.
The manager, Rosie Palmer, can be heard asking, “Can I juice this one up a little bit?’’ before painting red circles on Young’s canvas, which is meant to represent the artist’s “Tjukurpa”, or sacred stories.
Ms Palmer has said she was assisting Ms Young with a “background wash”, while the APY collective’s board and general manager Skye O’Meara have consistently denied white studio staff painted on Indigenous works.
The National Gallery of Australia has announced an inquiry into the provenance of APY collective paintings in its forthcoming blockbuster exhibition, Ngura Pulka: Epic Country.
An NGA spokeswoman said on Monday “we haven’t announced anything yet” regarding the inquiry’s terms of reference, or who will run the probe.
“We do plan to,’’ she added, but refused to put a timeline on the widely anticipated announcement.
While the NGA planned its probe into the extent of “hands of assistance” in APY collective paintings, it was last week urging the public to plan their trips to the APY exhibition, which is due to open on June 3.
Ku Arts, a body which supports Aboriginal artists across South Australia, recently told The Australian the allegations swirling around the APY collective are “of serious concern”, and that it was focused on how it might support artists affected by the fallout, including whistleblower artists.
Ku Arts, which has supported SA’s Aboriginal artists and art centres for 25 years, backed a statement by the Indigenous Art Code, urging those affected by issues unearthed by The Australian’s investigation to contact the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission.
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