Very different roles in the art world at the polar extremes of the Territory. One departure, and one death. Both Marcus Schutenko and Steve Ariston will be missed by their respective connections.
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) has announced that after more than seven years in the role, Marcus Schutenko will be stepping down as its Director in June.
Marcus joined MAGNT in 2015 and quickly took advantage of its newly established statutory status to focus on stakeholder relationships, securing increased funding from governments, philanthropists and corporate sources. This allowed the creation of some specialist positions at MAGNT and the delivery of award winning exhibitions.
The reinstatement of essential art curator positions, the establishment of an engagement team and increasing positions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff have been transformational achievements.
The MAGNT Board and Marcus worked closely in championing an art gallery for Darwin’s State Square, with a $50 million art gallery scheduled to open in 2024. Marcus has also doubled MAGNT’s footprint in Alice Springs, securing funding for and successfully delivering ‘Megafauna Central’ at the Museum of Central Australia.
Chair of MAGNT’s Board, former NT Chief Minister Clare Martin, thanked Schutenko for his energy, commitment and innovation over his seven years as director. “Marcus has made a significant positive difference to our Museum and Art Gallery”.
Marcus worked to place Aboriginal cultural rights and agency at the centre of MAGNT’s business, including reinvigorating the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, which now have a First Nations curator. Amongst the important exhibitions delivered under Schutenko’s aegis were three ground breaking exhibitions of Aboriginal culture: a major reveal of MAGNT’s early Papunya boards, Tjungunutja, MAGNT’s first exhibition of a solo Aboriginal artist, the late Ms N Yunupingu, and the Museum of Central Australia’s first fully bilingual exhibition, the ongoing ‘A Frontier Journey’, in Western Arrernte. This is a display of Otto Tschirn’s pioneering photographs, taken between 1915 and 18.
MAGNT is currently consulting on the establishment of a whole of museum Aboriginal advisory body, as well as the development of a 20 year repatriation plan.
Schutenko reflected, “The Northern Territory has such unique and diverse environments, rich Aboriginal cultures and compelling histories. Engaging with all of these at MAGNT has been an incredible experience.”
Marcus will relocate with his family to New Zealand in late 2022. MAGNT will soon commence recruitment for a new Director.
Meanwhile in the Red Centre, the shadowier figure of dealer Steve Ariston has been tragically killed in a motorbike accident near Alice Springs. He and his wife Amy own a respected and very busy Aboriginal art gallery, Palya Proper Fine Art, in the Todd Mall. It currently has more than 300 works on offer online – mainly from Utopia, but also a handful of fine Tommy Watsons. Ariston was also a major wholesaler for galleries across the country – such as Art Mob in Hobart who tipped its subscribers off about the loss. Director Euan Hills commented, “Art Mob has been a long term wholesale customer and has had a number of blockbuster shows assisted by Steve and Amy, including Charmaine Pwerle’s debut and Kudditji Kngwarreye’s retrospective exhibition”.
The biggest problem with the Aboriginal Art World is that NO ONE who is literate enough to publish on the subject EVER directly solicits the opinions of the Aborigines themselves. Journalists and casual writers alike have a completely distorted view of the reality of bush life and the characters within. To use the description “shadowier figure” in describing someone who was very well respected and will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him, especially the Yapa themselves is not what i consider responsible , unbiased or insightful journalism. A better understanding of what this mans’ status and importance to the Alice Springs community and environs is in order and please keep your flippant, nonsensical editorialism to living souls who can defend themselves.
Point taken Peter. But then you don’t spend enough time in the cities, where the unknown wholesalers of Aboriginal art via direct contact with the artists are almost universally dismissed, if known. The community art centres set the tone. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Mr Ariston, but have heard many shadowy comments on his activities. I was delighted to share Euan’s appreciation of them – his judgment is good.
I lived in Sydney for 8 years, Melbourne for 20 and know everybody in the industry who played any significant role whatsoever from the late 80’s to 2008 Aboriginal art scene. I don’t have to elaborate on my credentials and I can comment on the difference between the players who have personal relationships with the Aboriginal community and those who don’t. The industry is very competitive, the best weapon in commerce is via negative journalism and reputation attacks. The division between street credibility and the status quo members of the industry has always been coloured by commercial interests. The Alice Springs scene is well guarded from outsiders and that includes the gallery owners who fly in for the weekend and stay at the Plaza enjoying all the comforts that first class tourists are afforded. There is a whole other world out there and some people are attracted to a more authentic outback experience. These people relish closer contact to the real thing and rarely dismiss this privilege. The bush is dangerous, unpredictable and wild. Steve Ariston fit right in. He was very popular and well liked by the locals, his clients and the artists that he commissioned.
The art centres have their place and its Community role but don’t cater to their stars. Contrary to popular belief, they also don’t always produce the best art. Business by its very nature has a high level of corruption but you can imagine that if you get a bad reputation amongst the Aborigines, payback from them is potentially far worse than any threat that comes from anyone in the city. This acts as a kind of social control.
So street players tread a fine line and have no fear of the auction house/art centre and gallery politics. They shrug off their detractors, personally knowing that there are may sides to the tale. Some are crooks, forgers, liars and thieves ; others are fair, ethical and accommodating. They all are tough. Steve was the latter.
Thank you Peter for stating your points here and defending Steve’s reputation. I’m truly sick of the ‘them and us’ division that media writers consistently throw up even in such tragic circumstances. The majority of us on the ‘wrong’ side of the fence have immense respect for the work that art center’s do. Steve was an active collector too and would often be the first to buy at Desert Mob as that was his only access to ‘art center’ procured works. He was as far from a shadowier figure than I could ever imagine, he was full speed ahead out in front of everyone else, no hiding or lurking as this description suggests. He was a wheeler dealer and entrepreneur and he shared the money he made amongst those he worked with very generously as I witnessed countless times. I run an artist studio in Alice myself, I know the pressures that come with that, you are on call virtually 24/7. If you have no compassion or empathy for who you work with in this game you burn out pretty quick…..see the high turn over of staff at art centers. Steve was on the ground here for over 20 years, me too. It would be nice if some respect could be reciprocated too instead of veiled take downs at what seems like any given opportunity.