Gene & Brian Sherman Shine Light on Australian, Indigenous Art

Indigenous artist Jonathan Jones's installation ``untitled (the tyranny of distance),'' wraps the tubes inside 500-square feet of aluminum frames, covered with blue tarpaulin. The display was commissioned by the Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation (SCAF).

``Art foundations seem to be a worldwide trend,'' said Gene Sherman. ``Rather than give to an institution, people are often establishing their own foundations through which they can showcase their own collection.''

Enigmatic and beautiful from a distance, close inspection reveals the plastic tarpaulin cover -- a cheap illusion with a message.

In Aboriginal communities, ``you see tarpaulin everywhere -- from people covering their houses after storms to other people using it for seasonal outstations in the country'' said Jones in an interview for the show's catalog.