LECTURE: Addressing Issues of Fraud in Aboriginal Art

School of Indigenous Studies Institute of Advanced Studies and the Crime Research Centre, University of Western Australia

invite you to a public lecture by

Dr Christine Alder and Professor Ken Polk Criminology, University of Melbourne

Introduced by Professor Sally Morgan, School of Indigenous Studies, UWA

The past three decades have seen an explosion in the popularity of, and demand for, Australian Aboriginal art. As the prices commanded by major artists have reached unprecedented levels, Aboriginal art has been confronted with growing accusations and innuendo about the authenticity of some of the works on offer. Whilst some of these accusations involve clear fakery and fraud, there are many complex issues in the context of Aboriginal art concerning terms such as ‘authenticity’ and ‘ownership’. This, in turn, raises difficult questions with respect to the interpretation and potential application of the criminal law (for example, in considering whether criminal charges should be laid against those who pass themselves off as Aboriginal artists or who ‘borrow’ Dreamtime stories). This discussion will review issues of fraud and authenticity in the context of Australian Aboriginal art from a range of perspectives. Such questions need to be addressed because they may serve to undermine the integrity of Aboriginal artists and to threaten a significant source of income for many Aboriginal communities.

Christine Alder and Ken Polk are in Perth as guests of the Crime Research Centre, UWA

All WELCOME. NO RESERVATION IS REQUIRED

(Parking available from Hackett Drive entrance 1 in Car Park 3. Map at http://maps.uwa.edu.au/crawley/display/11)

For more information please contact The Institute of Advanced Studies, UWA on Tel (08) 6488 1340; Email [email protected]; www.ias.uwa.edu.au