Aboriginal art at the Royal Academy in 2013

The first mistake was the hype. The previews brimmed with confidence: the British “would find the show a revelation”; “there has never been an exhibition like this before”; “Britain’s ‘shameful’ ignorance of Australian art is to be addressed”; “an eye-opener for British viewers”. The Aboriginal art would be a real winner: “they’ll be really amazed. When they come in first, they’ll see Aboriginal art, and that will shock them.” They had mustered a roomful of large spectacular masterpieces to make the point. As the exhibition took shape the organisers must surely have sensed the disaster looming. A month before it opened and after interviewing a number of Australian art world aficionados, Janet Ure-Smith warned in London’s Financial Times that the conception of the exhibition was so riddled with clichés that it would either confirm worn-out prejudices or insult the informed viewer.