Solenne Ducos-Lamotte

Solenne Ducos-Lamotte
Director
IDAIA

Dear Sir/Madam,

Focusing on increasing the presence and appreciation of quality and ethical Australian Indigenous art among international audiences, I am particularly aware of the lack of information and understanding of what is at stake among the overseas clients - final buyers as well as professionals. It seems to me crucial that:

• the Code of Conduct be translated into foreign languages, at least the languages of countries where the interest and demand for Aboriginal art is strong or accelerating (a minimum would be French, Italian, Chinese). There is a lot of overseas galleries dealing with cartpetbaggers.
• brochures for tourists visiting Australia providing guidelines on buying/collecting Aboriginal art be distributed when they enter the country, perhaps with a warning/information session (TV announcement in the plane, at customs, ...?) Translated brochures would also help a lot.
• a directly prescribed Code of Conduct would be much more effective to really cut short or significantly reduce the number of abuses and abusers, and help both extreme sides of the trade: artists and final customers/collectors.

I would be more than happy to help as much as possible. Notably I could:

• translate documents into French, as I did for the catalogue of the Australian Indigenous Art Commission at the Musee du quai Branly,
• provide any useful information regarding overseas art markets/practices.

Thank you for your consideration.

Solenne Ducos-Lamotte
Founder and Director of IDAIA - specialising in international development for Australian Indigenous art
Formerly the Manager of the Aboriginal Art department of Michael Reid - Caruana Reid Fine Art in Sydney