Visual Arts: Art and culture controversy

Kathleen Petyarre won the most coveted award in indigenous art : the the 1996 Telstra Prize. However the award became controversial when her husband claimed he should be called the author of the work as well, as he influenced and painted some of the artwork.

A very good article from The Australian newspaper. The art critic Christopher Allen is asked what he thinks about artists appropriating other artists work. He claims that appropriation (or borrowing) is nothing new, but there is now postmodern appropriation of art which is less respectful than before.

In 2008 Lucas Grogan's art was accepted in an emerging artists exhibition, but then the organisers reversed their decision. They had talked to curators in the Indigenous community and were told to not exhibit it on ethical grounds, because Lucas is not Indigenous.

In this interview Lucas Grogan talks about how he was warned against using the indigenous influenced aesthetic. He argues that in our globalised world it's impossible not to take influences from other cultures.

Richard Bell is an indigenous artist that wishes to change the perception of Indigenous Art from within. He believes it has come too commercialised. This is causing controversy amongst Indigenous artists.