Buying Aboriginal Art
A Guide to Buying Australian
Desert Art - A Dot Painting may not be what it appears to be.
Australian Aboriginal Art
Both Aboriginal art and Authentic
Aboriginal art are offered for sale.
Aboriginal style art can be produced
by anybody, anywhere. Authentic Aboriginal art is artwork that has been
made by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
If you are interested in acquiring
authentic Australian Aboriginal art, the following facts may assist you
in your buying decisions.
The artists name or title of
the work sounding aboriginal is not enough proof that it is authentic.
Art advertised under an Aboriginal
category does not have to be authentic Australian Aboriginal art.
A photograph of the artist holding
the painting can be offered as proof of origin. That is no guarantee that
the artist produced this particular work.
People who have bought Australian
Aboriginal art and later found it not to be genuine may re-sell with-out
disclosing the real facts.
Carry out research on the painter
and seller. Be informed before you buy.
Complications in ownership can
occur. It some instances, the owner of the paintings storyline has been
named as the painter, or several people may have taken part in the production
of a painting.
Certificates of authenticity
can be offered as proof of origin. These Certificates are created by individuals
and organizations and can vary between communities. They do not completely
guarantee that the work is authentic.
The Association of Northern,
Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists have released “The
Purchasing Australian Aboriginal Art Consumer Guide” to help people understand
this market.
The National Indigenous Arts
Advocacy Association (NIAAA) developed in 2000, the Label of Authenticity,
a trademark to protect buyers of authentic Aboriginal art. As of
2006 NIAAA is no longer operating this label.
As of May 2007, there is no national
certification system that authenticates Australian indigenous cultural
products
Aboriginal art catalogues for
auctions are a good source for researching Aboriginal painters, paintings
and their values.
Be aware that sometimes the copyright
to an artists work is retained by the artist. This allows the artist to
produce and sell copies of this work.
It is in the interests of art
enthusiasts to protect the authenticity of Australian Aboriginal artwork.
The sale of copies made by non-Indigenous people not only devalues Aboriginal
Art in general but it also means that the profits from these sales will
not go to the Aboriginal artist or community.
This article is by Kiambasa of
Australian Apitherapy http://www.apitherapy.com.au/
Information
on fakes and forgeries
