Indigenous art investigation: APY Arts Centre Collective investigation ‘not wide enough: Philip Watkins

An investigation into stunning claims of white interference in Aboriginal art must look into the culture that allegedly ­allowed such practices to take hold, says Indigenous art boss.

Desart chief executive Philip Watkins says he is ‘very concerned’ about the allegations raised in a months-long investigation by The Australian.

The Indigenous chief of the peak body representing 35 central desert art centres and thousands of artists has called for a broad and extensive investigation into “concerning” claims that white gallery staff painted on Indigenous canvases in the studios of the APY Arts Centre Collective.

Desart chief executive Philip Watkins said the investigation needed to look into the culture that allegedly ­allowed such practices to take hold.

The National Gallery of Australia announced last week that it would investigate the authenticity of 28 artworks that have been painted for its showcase winter exhibition Ngura Pulka.

However, Mr Watkins said the investigation needed to be much broader in scope than just the paintings headed for the NGA.

He said he was “very concerned” about the allegations raised in a months-long investigation by The Australian into ­interference in Indigenous art where five artists and six former gallery staff alleged that white gallery staff had painted on Indigenous canvases, including finishing off paintings when the artists were not in the South Australian studio.

Rosie Palmer, manager of Tjala Art in the settlement of Amata in the APY Lands, is seen contributing to a painting by Indigenous artist Yaritji Young in a video obtained during an investigation by The Australian.

Mr Watkins said he was also disturbed by a video obtained by The Australian, showing the white studio manager of Tjala Arts, Rosie Palmer, painting on the canvas of famous Indigenous artist Yaritji Young, joint winner of the Wynne Prize.

Ms Palmer at first said she had never worked with Ms Young, and then issued a statement denying that she was painting on the canvas. The APYACC, through its lawyers, later issued a statement describing what Ms Palmer may have been doing was a “background wash” and said it was a legitimate practice.

Mr Watkins said it was in no way a legitimate practice.

“I was very concerned about what I saw,” he said. “In my view it goes way beyond what would be considered acceptable practice for non-Indigenous studio people to be doing. That is an aberration. It is not common practice.”

The APYACC-aligned arts centres in APY Lands are all members of Desart.

Mr Watkins said the board of Desart would meet this week and it would issue a statement on the matter in coming days.

Arts Minister Tony Burke, and the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, have been contacted to comment on Mr Watkins’ call for a broader ­investigation, but have not ­replied (Mr Burke is on holidays).

The NGA has not announced the scope of its investigation or who will head it or what it deems to be interference. It has also not answered questions from The Australian about possible conflicts of interest.

Sue Cato, from the crisis communication firm, Cato and Clive, had been working with the APYACC in an attempt to halt the publication of this investigation. Ms Cato is on the board of the National Gallery Australia Foundation and is a member of the gallery’s ethics committee.

It would appear to be a conflict of interest with the APYACC providing the paintings for the NGA’s Ngura Pulka exhibition. APYACC board member Sally Scales is also on the NGA board. She also has paintings destined to hang in Ngura Pulka.

In a letter to supporters, NGA director Nick Mitzevich said: “You may have seen coverage in the media questioning the authorship of works in the Ngura Pulka exhibition. While the ­issues raised are unsubstantiated and speculative, please be ­assured that the National Gallery is treating these recent reports with concern and care.”

He said the review would ­assess provenance and authenticity of each of the works and that the gallery would follow its due diligence guidelines to provide clarity on the works.

The review, he said, had been endorsed by the National Gallery Council and supported by chairman, Ryan Stokes.

APYACC general manager Skye O'Meara denies all allegations of interference.

“The APY Lands artists are supportive of this review,” Mr Mitzevich said. “Sally Scales, ­National Gallery Council member and (APYACC board member) will recuse herself from Council and participation or consideration of the review.”

His letter made no comment about Ms Cato.

“The role of the National Gallery is to support artists, and Ngura Pulka is an important ­exhibition for the artists of this dynamic art movement from the central desert, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their works on a national stage,” he said.

The APYACC board and its general manager, Skye O’Meara, have consistently and forcefully stated that no Indigenous arts works were painted on by white studio staff.