A shonky easel empire

Aboriginal Art Directory | 29.06.08

News source: The Australian

Beverley Knight talks to the Australian about shonky Aboriginal art.

Quoted from the article:

The Aboriginal art market is particularly vulnerable. Issues such as language barriers, the geographic remoteness of many artists' communities, poverty, artists who work outside the art centre-commercial gallery structure, and a discreet racism based on savvy white carpetbaggers trying to rip off indigenous people, all create a fertile environment for con artists.

Melbourne gallery owner Beverly Knight has been selling indigenous art for nearly 20 years. During that time she has come across many problematic paintings, including a case involving one of her artists, Ginger Riley.

Riley died in 2002, not long after discovering through Darwin police that about 50 fake paintings bearing his name were circulating.

Knight says questionable Aboriginal art is rife across most states and involves many people. "And this is not a black v white thing, the criminals are both indigenous and non-indigenous," she says.

URL: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23932726-16947,00.html

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Contact Details

Gallery: Alcaston Gallery
Contact: Beverly Knight
Email: art@alcastongallery.com.au
Telephone: +61 3 9418 6444
Address: 11 Brunswick Street Fitzroy Melbourne 3065 VIC