It's hard to imagine the family of a white artist being treated like Albert Namatjira's | Paul Daley

Submitted by Paul Daley on Tue, 17/10/2017 - 4:13pm

The central issue in the long tussle over the copyright of Albert Namatjira’s work is the denial of Indigenous agency

Albert Namatjira’s legacy as the foremost Indigenous painter of his generation has endured, despite the divided opinions of his contemporary critics.

His work has been acknowledged by British royalty, hung in the drawing rooms of the mega-rich and exhibited worldwide. His coveted, creviced landscapes of valleys, copses and bone-dry riverbeds, with their softened palettes of primary colours that defy caricature of the desert and its harsh light, sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars on the rare occasions they come under the auctioneer’s hammer.