| CIDOC NEWSLETTER | Volume 9, August 1998 |
Australian art galleries are tangibly refocusing their outlook and orienting towards a more public focus intermixing with a commitment to continuous improvement. Such strategic plans are now becoming standard issues within such institutions, which has led to the formation and development of major working initiatives. One such initiative focuses on the strengthening of the institution's permanent collection. Visitors and the general public are always curious about the acquisition ambitions and achievements of an art gallery. Such an interest is also visible in the hearts and minds of the media especially in terms of the processes and cost factors. Stagnancy is no longer a word in any gallery's vocabulary as collection policies are continually changing to meet current market fluctuations and trends.
The permanency of a permanent collection within any museum or art gallery is today always being questioned. Many collecting institutions around the world adopt the practice of occasionally deaccessioning works from their collection. There are many reasons why this happens. Sometimes this is essential for consolidating resources as collections are used by many institutions as a realistic financial asset, but sometimes with the sole reason of ensuring that a continued existence is maintained. However, a pervasive shadow that often lurks behind so many disposal decisions is fashion. Fashion can creep up on a collection; gradually eroding its relevance and status as policy directives for the institution evolve away from the collection. Or, it can be rather brutal when certain collection material is no longer considered to be useful or relevant to that institution. Many Australian galleries are today realising the irrelevance of some of the material housed within their collections to the developing policies of that institution. Steps have now commenced by many galleries to rectify this, either through the deaccession process or transferring the works to more suitable institutions on long-term loan.
In 1996 the Art Gallery of New South Wales ventured into sensitive territory as forty-seven works of late 19th or early 20th century European origin were sold under the hammer at a public auction. Knowledge of this practice was efficiently exercised in full public view and the works were even displayed in the Gallery's Old Courts - many for the first time. The entire proceeds generated from the sale of these paintings, which were otherwise deemed to have remained forever in storage, were directed towards the purchase of a major work. The revenue generated together with the constant support of the Art Gallery Society was used to consolidate the purchase of the magnificent painting of Delacroix's Angelica and the wounded Medoro. Since its arrival and eventual acquisition to the Gallery's collection, this painting has been on display ever since. In fact, the acquisition of this very important work prompted for a re-hanging of the Old Courts section, which coincided, with an extensive program of refurbishing work in those courts.
The cultural heritage of Australia's Indigenous people has been collected in institutions in Australia and other parts of the world for over 200 years. Registrars in Australia are continually confronted by the problem related to the material of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that is of a secret and sacred nature. The diverse range of objects that falls into such categories was originally collected because they were perceived to be exotic examples of Australian Aboriginal material culture. They were viewed in much the same light as any other material. In essence, no special concerns about their documentation, storage, handling or display were taken into account. However, we take the opposite view today and regard the collection of these objects as a diverse and extremely important component of Aboriginal knowledge and culture that has significant spiritual value to Aboriginal people.
Today, Australian cultural institutions extensively consult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into matters relating to the documentation, interpretation and display of their cultural heritage. Such collaboration with Indigenous peoples has opened up a highway of new issues and dispositions. These initially focused on the return of human skeletal remains but have since, in moving towards new attitudes and behaviours, focus on the people, their cultural heritage and their relationship to the land. The importance of documentation has been a key issue in the role of ICOM. Key programs have resulted including the AFRICOM project to support museums throughout the African continent and with the assistance of CIDOC, the production of the Handbook of Standards for African collections has resulted. In addition, the constant and highly visible increase in cultural theft and destruction of sites in many regions especially the Caribbean is a constant re-occurring issue for CARICOM, who are devoted into fighting the battle and bridging public awareness in the value and importance of cultural heritage to this region.
It is imperative that meaningful and sensitive dialogue between Indigenous peoples and authorities continues to take place otherwise the potential loss to humanity is recondite. At the end of the day, much of the solution will depend upon education and learning. A continual change in attitudes is constantly needed. Archaeologists, galleries and museums have an important and special responsibility to broaden public awareness to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's values. Although we all realise that cultural differences and diversity exist between Australian Indigenous cultures and museums, they can be surmounted with cooperation and with better communication modes and connections. Institutions in Australia also need to asses and re-evaluate any Indigenous cultural material stored away in the vaults of their storage departments. Questions need to be raised relating to how the material was acquired. Were they purchased, donated or stolen? Should such material be repatriated back to the communities? If the arguments regarding the treatment of cultural property and its disposition continue while those remnants of the past that do survive are being obliterated, then the questions and issues just raised will become meaningless.
Jesmond Calleja
Registrar - Cataloguing and Documentation
Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney
New South Wales
Australia Australian Registrars Committee (ARC) - Hon. Treasurer
Email: jesmondc@ag.nsw.gov.au