News

Shiva to head home in cloud of scandal

Following a formal request from India, the NGA has bowed to mounting pressure and removed the Shiva at the centre of a fraud case.

27 Mar 2014

Gina Fairley

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Visual Arts

But this week the work was suddenly removed, apparently in response to broader publicity which resulted from a Four Corners program on the Shiva controversy. Arts lawyer Shane Simpson told the ABC that preparations are being made for the Shiva’s restitution to India.

Weeks before acquiring the Shiva in 2008, the NGA consulted with Simpson who, it is reported prepared a 12-page legal memo that cautioned NGA about the considerable risks of acquiring the sculpture. Obviously that advice was not taken on board.

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Gina Fairley

Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina