Masterpiece: Shimmer in the City (SBS, 02/10/95) (Patreon)

Full broadcast from SBS Television. Last 7 minutes is a promo break and intro to Monday Movie with Margaret Pomeranz.

Detailed look at urban Aboriginal art through interviews with artists, national and international curators, art dealers and art critics, and their views on the place of the work in relation to traditional Aboriginal art as well as Australian society at large. The notion of preconceived ideas of Aboriginal art is discussed as well as the non-stereotypical aboriginality represented in the urban artist’s work where mythical, cultural and environmental heritage is referred to, but situated politically as a confrontation of past and present issues effecting indigenous Australians. Through the interviews with the artists and critics of their work the autobiographical nature of the art is evoked, underlining both the personal and broad social relevance of the art to contemporary Aboriginal experience. It is thorough documentary on the broad spectrum of work being produced that also raises the key issues of Aboriginal ownership of imagery and the question of Aboriginal copyright.