The Fake Art Harms Culture campaign is being driven by the Indigenous Art Code with support from Arts Law Australia and the Copyright Agency/Viscopy.  The Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre has also played an assisting role throughout the process where-ever possible.

As an artist and representative of Girringun, Abe Muriata has travelled to Canberra and Sydney and participated in a number of media interviews to support the campaign and raise awareness with politicians, retailers and other artists over the past six months..  The issue has implications for Indigenous people across Australia and Frank Robson of the Sydney Morning Herald described last weekend that:

Unless the imported souvenirs are falsely claimed to be authentic at the point of sale, the fake art trade isn’t illegal under Australian law. But it is increasingly seen as exploitative and immoral because it plagiarises, distorts and disrespects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, as well as robbing Indigenous artists of income and deceiving consumers, most of whom are overseas tourists.

Now, just four months out from the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, industry sources say there’s so much fake stuff flooding Australia that genuine Indigenous products are being priced out of the market. Politicians have joined with exasperated Indigenous lobbyists to fight the problem: a federal government inquiry into the complexities of the trade concluded in November, with recommendations expected shortly, and federal independent MP Bob Katter has called for the sale of phoney Aboriginal products to be made illegal, however they’re labelled. (http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/the-booming-trade-in-fake-indigenous-art-20171122-gzqyam.html)

If new legislation is developed as a result of the Fake Art Harms Culture campaign there will be many benefits that will result.  Artists will receive more appropriate recognition and return for their work and it is anticipated that the incredible diversity of Indigenous cultural practices and living become more visible throughout Australia.

Abe Muriata with MZAANZ conference delegates at the National Maritime Museum earlier this year. The annual Museum Shops Association of Australia & New Zealand held a panel session on the theme of Rights, Respect & Recognition. Photo Gabrielle Sullivan Indigenous Art Code 2017

Abe Muriata (artist) and Brian Oldman (SA Museum) at MTQ Opening

The Museum of Tropical North Queensland in Townsville is the first venue of a national tour of artworks and cultural objects from the rainforest people of the Girringun region.

Opened recentlyby Girringun Chairperson and Gugu Badhun Traditional Owner Ms Pat Hoolihan, this touring exhibition was made possible with funding from Visions Australia.  Ms Hoolihan commented that:  This project originated out of community interest in the cultural material from the Girringun region collected by South Australia Museum, including rare objects never displayed publicly and never with Traditional Owner involvement. We are very much involved in what is happening here now.. The inclusion of some very rare and beautiful objects – baskets, firemaking tools and others, bringing them back to visit from South Australia to North Queensland for the first time in over 100 years is – for us – a profound experience, as we believe that the spirits of the old people, our ancestors, remain with the objects. They are extraordinarily precious.

Girramay Elder Claude Beeron was the cultural advisor for the project and was moved to see these objects from his ancestors so close to home.  Mr Beeron had previously travelled to Adelaide and Melbourne with curator Dr Valerie Boll and artists Abe Muriata, Nephi Denham, Mrs Ninney Murray and Debra Murray for research and liaison with the South Australian Museum and the Melbourne Museum.

Mr Brian Oldman, Director of the South Australia Museum came up for the exhibition and joined a  large contingent of artists and interested people who travelled to Townsville last Friday to experience the amazing display of rainforest culture and imagery.

Traditional and contemporary works showcased in the same space demonstrate the progression of tool and object making and transitions that are occurring in more recent work and reflect on a culture which is very much alive.  The exhibition includes two documentaries and aerial images by Debra Murray, sculptural works and weaving.

Manggan – gather, gathers, gathering, the exhibition, features 19 artists and it will tour to fourteen venues across five states for the next three years. Museums and Galleries in Brisbane will manage the touring component of the show with support from Girringun Art Centre Manager Valerie Keenan.

The Museum of Tropical North Queensland, Townsville is open every day between 0930 and 1700 hours, and the exhibition will remain open to the public in Townsville until February 11.  For further information: http://www.mtq.qm.qld.gov.au/Events+and+Exhibitions/Exhibitions/2017/09/Manggan#.WbNhfsax9hE or contact Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre 07 40668300.

The Governor of Queensland Her Excellency Penelope Wensley met the Bagu on the Foreshore artists Charlotte Beeron and Eileen Tep in February in Cardwell. She was very impressed by the large works and promised to let everyone know about the great artworks which originate in the Girringun region as she travels around the world. Girramay Elder Claude Beeron welcomed the Governor on country. Together with the CCRC Mayor Bill Shannon, Ms Wensley later visited the Girringun offices and was introduced to all available staff and shown around the premises. Claude presented Ms Wensley with a small Bagu with Jiman made by Charlotte Beeron and she promised to compare notes with Prince William who was presented with a Bagu with Jiman after Cyclone Yasi.

Bagu on foreshore, Cardwell: Eileen Tep, Charlotte Beeron, Her Excellency Governor of Queensland Penelope Wensley & Girrimay Elder Claude Beeron.

A day was spent with Dr Sally Butler at the University of Queensland where we talked about our ongoing relationship to support interns at Girringun and met our next intern Lucy Hancock MA who spent March and April at Girringun. We also spent some time viewing the Exotic Lies Sacred Ties exhibition by Dani Mellor who has worked with Ernie Grant, a Jirrbal Traditional Owner, from this area. Sally presented several of the exhibition books to Abe and Emily and for the art centre. One of Tonya Grant’s jawun is included in one of Dani’s works. We then adjourned to a pre-arranged visit to the anthropological museum to look at their collection of baskets from our area and were taken into the storage area to view rainforest shields and cross boomerangs.

Anthropological Museum at the University of Queensland looking through the collection of traditional baskets: Abe Muriata & Emily Murray