After three years, investigations and now a $4.4m lawsuit, Australia’s most controversial art exhibition finally opens

The National Gallery of Australia’s exhibition, Ngura Puḻka – Epic Country, showcasing 30 new paintings by Indigenous artists from the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, has finally opened after facing significant controversy. The exhibition was delayed for three years following allegations published in The Australian newspaper that white studio assistants had unduly influenced the creation of artworks attributed to Indigenous artists. These allegations led to investigations by multiple bodies, including the ACCC and the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, and a $4.4 million defamation lawsuit filed by the APY Arts Centre Collective (APYACC) against Nationwide News.

While investigations found no breaches of consumer law and no adverse inference should be made from the investigation closing, the APYACC was temporarily suspended from the Indigenous Art Code and lost funding. The NGA’s own review confirmed the provenance of the works, though three paintings were withdrawn due to conflicts of interest and other reasons, with six new paintings added. Despite the controversy, the exhibition itself presents large-scale paintings depicting the desert landscape and ancestral stories (tjukurpa) of the Aṉangu people.

Artists express frustration over the allegations and the loss of funding, emphasizing the importance of the exhibition for cultural preservation and economic empowerment within their communities. They highlight the collective’s role in providing income and fostering artistic expression for future generations, and express pride in sharing their stories and connection to the land through their art.

(Source：The Guardian)