The Artist Is a Thief

by Stephen Gray

This gritty, unflinching philosophical detective novel addresses themes of Aboriginal rights, privilege, and art. Margaret Thatcher Gandarrwuy is an internationally renowned Aboriginal artist whose works command high prices, until a new painting is unveiled. It is discovered slashed, with the words “The artist is a thief” hastily scrawled across it. Jean-Loup Wild, a Melbourne financial consultant, is sent by an Aboriginal civil rights group to investigate and is caught between the art world, with its wealth, fashions, heroes, and sophisticated private language, and the Aboriginal community, with its poverty, social problems, kinship ties, and unchanging traditional law. While operating in these dual worlds, Jean-Loup delves deeply into the layers of Australian society, discovering the prejudices at the bedrock.

Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Fiction, Australia

300 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

LCCN permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/no2002044542

Stephen Gray, 1966-
Author of:
The artist is a thief, 2001: t.p. (Stephen Gray) leaf before t.p. (writer, law lecturer, lives in Darwin; author of Lungfish) Aus CIP (Gray, Stephen, 1966- )

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery designed to take us into the world of remote Aboriginal settlements, world view, and art, which manages to be both insightful, informative but still, appropriately, leave a non-Aboriginal reader as an outsider looking in. If our understanding and appreciation are improved and, that leads to a greater sense of our shared responsibility as custodians of the spiritual and cultural history of this land, then that is a very good achievement.

[Laura Crossfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not necessarily a good storyline, but the grappling with non Indigenous people living in remote communities and the ethics of it was thought provoking

[Dee-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book arduous and was teetering between 2 and 3 stars. I found the commentary on indigenous issues interesting and at times confronting, but I had a hard time following the main character Jean-Loup and also the direction the book was going, and what was being solved and why. However, this in itself reflects the workings of relationships and practices within commuities, especially indigenous communities.

Despite my misgivings, I think there is scope here to make an interesting movie, especially with the scenery contrasts, range of characters and action.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to finish this book. I thought it was very good in parts, but the ending wasn't very compelling. It had an oddly distant tone, so I never much cared about the narrator. And some of the central characters that would have provided heart to the story were just ciphers, like valerian and Margaret thatcher gunderwarry. A little too dry.