South Australian arts minister Andrea Michael said in a statement on Tuesday that following a meeting on Monday with federal arts minister Tony Burke and Northern Territory arts minister Chanston Paech,the three governments had resolved to act.
“We determined there will be a review into the organisation led by the South Australian government,jointly funded by the Commonwealth,with the support of the Northern Territory government. We will work closely with the Anangu people,including those working in the Adelaide studio,as the review gets underway,” she said.
“The allegations that have surfaced are concerning,and all three governments are determined to protect the integrity of First Nations art. We are committed to supporting First Nations artists to share their art with the world,and ensuring respect for their culture and stories is incredibly important.”
Concerns about the provenance of some works emanating from the APYACC – which represents 10 Indigenous-owned and governed enterprises and around 500 artists from desert communities in central Australia – have been spurred by reports inThe Australian that claim white staffers at the centre had painted on canvases that were meant to represent Dreamtime stories and sacred cultural knowledge.
Concern over the authenticity of the works has also cast a shadow over a major exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia that was due to open next month.
Ngura Pulka – Epic Countryhad been promoted as “one of the largest and most significant First Nations community-driven art projects to have ever been developed”. All parts of it,the promotional material claimed,“are being entirely conceived created directed and determined by Anangu people”.