Carpet-baggers 'exploiting'Indigenous artists

Tag : Carpet

Allegations of widespread exploitation of Aboriginal artists havesurfaced in central Australia.
The ABC's Four Corners program has found artists are working and living in fenced-offblocks of land around Alice Springs where they have no guaranteedentry or exit.
Sarah Brown, a health worker in Alice Springs, says dialysispatients will often miss appointments because they are lockedinside the bush blocks.
Ms Brown says "carpet-bagging" or the unregulated art trade isprolific in central Australia.
"That's the reality of the situation. I'm sure they'll say it's forsafety and security or whatever but the reality is that peoplecan't get in and out, people are in there to paint," she said.
"It's a battery farm for Western Desert painters."
Ms Brown says there are about 30 places in Alice Springs engaged inthe unregulated Aboriginal art industry.
But the dealers, commonly known as carpet-baggers, say the artistsare treated fairly and equitably.
Steve Nibbs, who is an art dealer in Alice Springs, says he takesartists away on holidays, gives them cars and always respects theirwishes.
"I was the original carpet-bagger ... I was the first one theystarted calling a carpet-bagger," he said.
"As a carpet-bagger I believe also that if anyone sat down and hada look at what I do, I've done just as much as anybody has forAboriginal artists.
"I've nursed a lot of old men and a lot of old women, I've beensitting up in hospital until 3:00am in the morning.
"I'm just trying to get the artist a better chance to promotehimself."
Tags: arts-and-entertainment , visual-art , community-and-society , indigenous , australia , nt , alice-springs-0870