ONLINE BUSINESS A BRIGHT IDEA
A RENOWNED Indigenous artist has launched an online business to not only promote and protect First Nations art and cultural expression but to also combat fake art dealers.
Joanne Cassady, an award-winning artist from Forrest Beach, said ‘ SPARXS Online Store’, a marketplace for First Nations artists to sell ethically produced, authentic products, went live yesterday.
Mrs Cassady said her platform was inspired by her desire to empower Indigenous artists at a grassroots level and to fight back against fake art that misappropriated Indigenous culture and undermined the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
She said she wanted to see Indigenous artists, people, businesses and communities prosper but fake art flooding the market and lessening opportunities for First Nations people “hurts our spirit, especially when you’re an artist”.
“It’s an insult to our culture, it’s an insult to my heritage and our stories and what they mean to us – it’s an absolute spit in the face and it should be against the law,” she said.
“We feel very strongly about it, we’re very passionate people, very spiritual people and traditionally, in a tribe setting, some of these stories are sacred stories that are handed down through art.”
Mrs Cassady believes the poignant quote, “they want our culture but not our struggle,” was very relevant and said the government needed to support Indigenous people more.