Authenticity - Aboriginal Art - RESPECTING CULTRAL VALUES

I just want to go over some Authenticity Literature that is posted on my web site under the links button.................

I am Wiradjuri, which means my art comes from roughly 80,000 sqaure miles in the middle of New South Wales. Our land is far from the sea which means Wiradjuri People do not paint Ocean scenes, unless we are given permission to paint the Ocean motifs of Ocean people.

Is this painting Authentic art?

Thats the first Question I ask when buying a art work that looks like its Aboriginal.

Who is the Artist?

Thats the next question that I ask.

Then once I know who its from I ask other Questions like

DOES THIS ITEM COME WITH A STORY?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

There are alot of good Aboriginal Artists out there, I feel sorry for those. Exspeacially when there art is reproduced by other Non- Indidgenous and Aboriginal Artists and sold as there own works on ebay. This happens all the time its happening now, while you read this.

So please ask questions about the art first.

Here's somthing to get your mind Thinking.

If I saw an Aboriginal Painting on Ebay,

Titled; Dolphin or Dolphin Dreaming

and the person is from the South West slopes of New South Wales, Would you buy This peice.

Well I wouldnt for a start as I have no evidence of this person ever been given permission to paint, this Ocean motif. ITS NOT AUTHENTIC.

Or

If I as a male painted a painting Titled; Women's Dreaming would you buy This art work from me.

I want to also mention here that I lived on the South Coast Of New south Wales for about ten years, I was given permission by the elders in Nowra to paint the ocean motifs that they use.

I went to one of my exhibitions at the Huskkison in The lady Denman Museum I saw a picture of the Weedy Sea Dragon, I went and talked to Laddie Timbery and Ben About this amazing animal. I was told the dreamtime story and was given permission to paint this animal and to tell the story. I sold a couple of paintings around NSW, and decided to put some on ebay, then two days later this Aboriginal lady put one on ebay her self and she was from South west slopes of NSW. It had fake written all over as she copied the design and story from me, actually I don't think she had the story.

Anyhow Here's a picture of me and one of my latest dot Paintings.