Ethics and Authenticity

Japingka Aboriginal Art has been associated with Aboriginal art through its Directors for over thirty years, and stands for fair and ethical trading in all its dealings with Aboriginal art and artists. Japingka Aboriginal Art is a foundation member of both Aboriginal Art Association of Australia the national body for Aboriginal art organisations and businesses, and of Indigenous Art Code, the Federal Government initiative to establish best practice for quality and ethical standards in the industry.

Both Aboriginal Art Association of Australia and Indigenous Art Code have codes of conduct that promote integrity, transparency and accountability in the Indigenous art market. Some of the main ideas listed by Indigenous Art Code are as follows-

• The Indigenous Art Code is an industry Code of Conduct established to promote ethical trading in the Indigenous art market. It promotes integrity, transparency and accountability in dealings between Dealers and Artists.
• Ultimately the Code stands for giving Indigenous artists a fair go.
• Dealers who sign up to the Code commit to support the Code’s ethical trading standards. These include:
  • Fair, honest, and professional dealings with Indigenous artists,
  • Respect for Indigenous artists’ cultural practices and rights,
  • Transparency in the promotion and sale of Indigenous art work.
• Dealers who have signed the Code may display the Code logo and apply Code certificates to artworks to demonstrate this commitment.
• Buying art with a Code certificate gives customers reassurance that they are purchasing art which has been ethically sourced and provides greater certainty of the artwork’s origin.
• The Code provides signatories, Artists and art buyers with a fair, efficient and effective complaints procedure.
• While the Code is voluntary it has been developed by the industry itself and has a robust legal framework to enforce ethical standards.

Japingka Aboriginal Art continues to stand behind the principles of fair and ethical dealing in all its transactions in Aboriginal art, as a means to delivering the best quality and standards. When buying Aboriginal art with a Code certificate, customers are given reassurance that they are purchasing art which has been ethically sourced, and provides greater certainty of the artwork’s origin.