What's right isn't always black or white

At what point does "Aboriginal Art" become "Aboriginal Art"?

Is it the style of art or the artist that determines this?

Is Aboriginal style Art by a white man Aboriginal Art?

Is western style art like landscape, portrait, abstract or expressionism by an Aboriginal person also Aboriginal Art?

Interesting questions that would no doubt divide the opinions of artists and art lovers everywhere.

The issue has taken an interesting twist with the investigation by the ACCC into the selling of Aboriginal Art by non-indigenous artists.

This is an issue I have often pondered and after much consideration i have arrived at a simple straight forward view.

If an artwork is painted in the traditional styles associated with Australian Aboriginal Art then it is Aboriginal Art regardless of the artist being indigenous or not.

If this art was to be displayed or sold it is imperative that it be clearly stated that the artwork was completed by a non-indigenous artist. I also believe that it would be prudent to avoid using the term "Authentic" Aboriginal Art as this serves little purpose but to confuse the issue as the term is commonly used to distinguish artworks by indigenous artists against cheap "souvenir" gifts that are often "mass produced" and sold in tourist outlets.

The article below describes a very interesting situation and without further information it is hard to pass judgement. It will be interesting to see how the ACCC proceed and if they have similar beliefs on what constitutes Aboriginal Art?

Row over Aboriginal art

Thomas Chamberlin

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

NON-Indigenous Cairns artist Stephen McLean (Duk Duk) says his career is in tatters after the Australian consumer watchdog's investigation into his dealer selling his work as "authentic Aboriginal art".

As industry and dealers yesterday expressed their anger over claims made by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Mr McLean said he had never pretended to be indigenous, despite going by a tribal name.

Doongal Aboriginal Art and Artefacts, which has galleries in Cairns and Kuranda, is expected to face the ACCC in the Federal Court in Brisbane next month for allegedly selling bogus Aboriginal art made by three non-indigenous artists.

The local artists are Mr McLean, his brother Paul Whiteman "Kulangu Balanda" and Diane Sharp.

The ACCC says Doongal’s owners, Farzad and Homa Nooravi, misrepresented to the public that the work was created by artists of Aboriginal descent through their website, signs and certificates of authenticity saying "original Aboriginal art".

Mr McLean yesterday said he started selling his art by his real name in 1990, but was later asked by Shirley Collins, the indigenous owner of Raintrees Aboriginal art gallery in Darwin, to use the tribal name "Duk Duk".

He later sought traditional testimonies from Aboriginal people after seeking permission to paint in his own Aboriginal style.

Mr McLean said he had not made a cent since Mr Nooravi took his and the other artist’s paintings off the shelves three months ago.

"I’ve always maintained how white I am when selling to galleries or privately," he said.

"I get treated the same as the local indigenous people. I’ve seen paintings of mine that I’ve sold to him (Mr Nooravi) for $1000 that have sold for between $5000 and $10,000," he said.

Yesterday, Kuranda’s Aboriginal Galleries of Australia owner Jim Bonnell said he backed the ACCC investigation on authenticity.

Not-for-profit contemporary Cairns arts organisation KickArts said it found the ACCC allegations "alarming".

"These are allegations that still need to be proven," director Rae O’Connell said.

Article courtesy the cairns post