A staggering 80% of all Indigenous art and craft items sold in Australia have shown to be fake.
"The finding of the Indigenous Affairs Committee parliamentary inquiry looking into the indigenous art market and found that the "inauthentic items have no connection to First Nations peoples and are often cheaply made imports", member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis said.
“First Nations artists and their communities feel completely disrespected and cheated by what is going on at the moment, particularly in the souvenir trade. They feel that their cultures are being stolen through the supply of these imitation products.” Mrs Sudmalis said
“First Nations art and craft is not simply a collection of design elements in some artistic media presentation. They are in fact a representation of cultural song lines. Art is therefore integral to the cultural identity, stories and history of First Nations peoples. It is about a continuous celebration and preservation of that history and cultures, which underpins all of the issues raised. “Mrs Sudmalis said
The committee has heard from many artists who rely on selling their art to survive, as well as galleries and curators who display and sell authentic art.
The Inquiry made a number of recommendations including an Indigenous Art Code, a crackdown on dodgy practices and that First Nations art centres be better resourced.
It also recommended that an information guide on authentic art and crafts be developed as a short video presentation to all passengers arriving into Australia and a Certification Trade Mark scheme for authentic First Nations art and crafts be developed to assist tourist when purchasing indigenous arts and crafts. "These imitation products have a profound and harmful effect on indigenous peoples and do not teach or inform the buyer about indigenous heritage," Mrs Sudmalis said.
Above: Ann Sudmalis with fake indigenous art - no licencing
"It is an ethical and moral demand that we assist this guardianship into the future."
