Tours at two major Queensland art galleries boycott Indigenous art after voice

Queensland’s two major state-funded art galleries have put an indefinite pause on showcasing Indigenous art on its public tours after last month’s failed voice referendum.

Aurukun artist Garry Namponan. Picture: Brendan Radke

Two leading public art galleries have stopped promoting their ­Indigenous collections as a self-imposed mark of respect for the failed voice referendum, offending artists concerned.

The decision means escorted tours of the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane and the neighbouring Gallery of Modern Art – known collectively as QAGOMA – will bypass the works of some of Australia’s most celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. It was made without reference to them, after Queensland posted the largest No vote in the country, and could deny artists in remote communities the promotion they need.

Garry Namponan of Aurukun is renowned for his camp-dog sculptures, three of which are owned by QAGOMA.

“The reason for the art being in the gallery is for people to see it,” he said. “That is why I made it and that is why it is in the gallery”.

Artist Fiona Omeenyo, from the 640-strong community of Lockhart River on the eastern coast of Cape York, said the decision to pause tours was “not good”.

“We want to promote our art and show people our culture” said Omeenyo, whose painting Searching for Trackswas acquired by the gallery in 2008. “As artists from small communities, we want people to see who we are.

“We are telling a story through our paintings to make them understand this is who we are, this is how we live.”

Lockhart River Arts CEO Enoch Perazim said the voice referendum was a “very sensitive issue” but the decision to boycott Indigenous art on public tours could be detrimental to artists in remote communities.

“At the end of the day, it is their bread and butter,” he said. “Our galleries are struggling with inflation going up – art is not an everyday consumer item, it is a luxury item. We rely heavily on any help that we can get to boost interest into the Indigenous art space.”

QAGOMA – which received $36.3m in base funding from the Palaszczuk government last year – did not respond to questions about who made the call to suspend tours of the Indigenous collection.

In a statement it said the gallery’s First Nations advisory panel would be consulted about resuming them this month. “QAGOMA paused volunteer-led tours of the Indigenous Australian art collection following the 14 October referendum in acknowledgment of what, for many Indigenous Australians, is a time of reflection,” the statement reads.

“There has been no change to QAGOMA’s display of Indigenous art, which remains accessible to the public in both buildings.”

At the nearby Queensland Performing Arts Centre, which is also financially backed by the state, the five-day Clancestry festival is under way, celebrating “First ­Nations arts, cultures and story­telling”.

Adam Boyd, who manages Moa Arts in the Torres Strait, said QAGOMA’s advisory panel should rework how it engages with the public. “Volunteers at the gallery tend to be older white Australians.” he said. “When talking about Indigenous art, there needs to be a deeper level of cultural expectations – that volunteers often don’t tend to (have). The solution is not to cancel engagement with people going to the gallery, that doesn't solve anything.”

Paula Savage, who works at Moa Arts and has two paintings on display at QAGOMA, said the gallery should employ guides who understand the meaning behind Indigenous art, rather than relying on a team of 80 volunteers. “I want my story to be told even if it is just an image,” she said. “It’s important for people to at least approach it.”

Asked if she supported the boycott, Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said it was “a matter for QAGOMA in consultation and in conjunction with their First Nations advisory group”. “QAGOMA’s operational decisions are made independent of government.”