It’s widely believed the media today is a toothless tiger, lacking the will to go after any big story. Therefore, one can only admire the boundless energy and determination of teen reporter, Nancy Drew (writing in Australia under the pen name, Gabriella Coslovich). After relentlessly hammering away at a story accusing the National Museum of Australia of accepting a donation of a dud Rover Thomas, one might imagine a well-earned rest was in order. The fact that the painting turned out to be genuine, and none of Nancy’s “experts” had laid eyes on the work, was unfortunate, but hey, it could happen to any intrepid newshound.
We no longer see Nancy’s byline in the Australian Financial Review, but she did manage to write another blockbuster for the Good Weekend, where she told us how grievously the APY Art Centre Collective has suffered, after the evil minions of the Murdoch press came up with a video of a white assistant “juicing up” one of Yaritji Young’s paintings.
As she apparently no longer condescends to place her investigative bombshells with the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age or the Good Weekend, Nancy has turned to The Saturday Paper as a sympathetic venue. Earlier this year we had a blockbuster scoop about how the APYACC scandal was in fact orchestrated by an evil carpetbagger who told Nancy – offensively – that he “didn’t give a rat’s arse” for her probing questions.
Now she has returned to the fray, with yet another piece relating how the APYACC has suffered because of all the unjust accusations levelled at them. And it’s not just the APYACC. The thrust of this ‘now-it-can-be-told’ story is that the scandal was instrumental in bringing about the resignation of the NGA’s Head Curator of First Nations Art, Bruce Johnson McLean. “It certainly was a factor that weighed on the decision to leave the gallery,” said Bruce, momentarily putting down his tear-stained hanky.
Nancy goes on to tell us how the ACCC has “cleared the organisation of any wrongdoing”, although I foolishly believed the original statement was to the effect that the issues fell outside the provisions of their enforcement powers. Soon we’re back with Skye O’Meara:
“They were good, intelligent, talented women with integrity and an amazing work ethic…” says the collective’s general manager, Skye O’Meara. Throughout the saga, she retained the confidence of her Indigenous board and refused to bow to widespread calls for her to resign.”
“It’s hard to describe how significant the trauma has been to directors, artists and staff … it’s been absolutely horrible,” O’Meara says.”
Not wanting to water down this powerful story of injustice, Nancy made the wise decision not to include material by anyone who had a different point of view. Some believe it would have been only right and proper had Skye stepped down while an investigation was underway, but Nancy applauds her intransigence. Indeed, some of the malcontents I’ve met, tell stories about bullying, intimidation, and various other issues that have been current for years. If one were to ask around the neighbouring art communities, I’m sorry to say the comments are relentlessly negative. No wonder Nancy never bothered to ask for a contribution. No need to add to the “trauma” that Skye & her crew have been suffering.
At least, she can report that the APYACC “increased sales last year by $300,000”. That should be some consolation for any loss of trust and reputation, let alone lucrative grants from the taxpayer. It should also give the finger to those less entrepreneurial art communities that saw their own sales drop precipitously as a result of the APYACC’s bad publicity.
As the SA Government report has yet to be made public, it may be a little too early to start victory celebrations, especially when Chansey Paech, the outgoing NT Minister, who actually read the report, says there was evidence of wrongdoing in all nine categories of the investigation. I can understand how that might be “traumatic”.
Finally, I’m obliged to ask the same old question: “Why?” Why does Nancy feel the need to write story after story in defence of the APYACC, and to take their side unquestioningly – even if the majority of Aboriginal Arts groups seem to have a different view? What is driving this bottomless need to play Robin Hood for an operation that has yet to be exonerated of many damning charges? It could be argued that Greg Bearup has been a lot more balanced in his reporting for the Oz, which Nancy dismisses as a “campaign”. One needs must admire her singleminded – if slightly mysterious – determination.
This week’s art column is blissfully free from politics and controversy. Lesley Dumbrell’s Thrum at the Art Gallery of NSW is a much-deserved survey for a hard-working, veteran abstract painter, who now divides her time between Melbourne and Bangkok. These two worlds have not loosened up her style, which remains solidly geometric. Dumbrell must have worn out quite a few rulers and set squares over the past 50 years. If you’re happy to enjoy form without too much content, this is a show to savour.
The film column discusses two completely different movies – Touch, a sentimental flashback drama from Iceland, and Kneecap, a crudely made comic portrait of a foul-mouthed Northern Irish hip hop band. There’s plenty of trauma in both movies, but nothing that should require the attentions of Nancy Drew.