Provenance statement

Provenance of Indigenous Art: statement from Smith & Hall

The issues of ethics, provenance and authenticity within Australian Indigenous Art practices are all important and sensitive topics, particularly because of the level of competition that exists in this market at the present time. Having said that, it is also an issue that Smith & Hall is never shy of addressing as it provides our clients with the appropriate background information and security that they require to give them confidence in buying through us direct.

There are Communities that are well known for their ethical stance concerning Indigenous Australian Art which is a credit to them, however, out of choice, most Indigenous Artists (Judy Watson Napangardi and Ningura Napurrula being two such examples) paint for more than one Community or organisation within the Northern Territory or its adjoining states. The situation currently is one where many of these 'alternative' arrangements are conducted by ethical organisations who treat their Artists with the same respect, care and ethics that are championed by well known and established 'Communities'. There are however, some people who work outside these entities and may not have the same level of care for the artists whose works they may occasionally acquire. At Smith & Hall, we only deal with either Communities (in cases such as the artists of the Lockhart River) or ethical alternatives where clear evidence exists establishing that the artists are well treated, quality art by the artists is being produced and strong provenance is apparent.

Some art buyers in the past have certainly missed out on purchasing the highest-quality artworks from alternative sources because they are concerned about standards that have been established between a Community entity and a secondary market establishment. This is a great shame as it creates false and unfounded suspicion around professional organisations who likewise have strong ethics concerning this issue and operate with the highest of standards.

Smith & Hall prides itself on the fact that their Indigenous works are accepted into auction houses, one of which is The Menzies Group, whose reputation as an auctioneer is renowned.

Smith & Hall provide extensive information with each painting assuring them of the works authenticity and originality and that the work has come directly from the artist. The information Smith & Hall provides includes the following:

• * a certificate of authenticity signed by Cameron Hall (Director, Smith & Hall)
• * finished photos and/or working photos for most of the larger or more important pieces
• * a Community code number or entity code number
• * a Smith & Hall code number
• * a biography of the artist 

If there is any query as to the authenticity of our indigenous work, for example if a piece is being put into auction, information can always be traced back through Smith & Hall to our sources of supply by the auction house.

Smith & Hall remain as competitive in the market as any gallery in Australia when it comes to the quality of the artwork we provide, both Indigenous and otherwise.

If you have any further questions, you are more than welcome to speak to our Curator directly.

Image: Makinti Napanangka.