Stories Fact Sheet

SAM Stories Fact Sheet

This fact sheet covers guidelines and tips on artwork stories.
 

What is an artwork story, and why are they important?

Recording artists' stories support cultural legacy. People buying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork and products are genuinely interested in artists, culture and communities. Artwork stories help sell the work, reinforce the cultural significance, and connect artists with their audiences.

Artists draw on cultural, personal, contemporary, or historical narratives to create artworks in various mediums. 

Documenting artwork stories contributes to the following:

• Cultural legacy and maintenance
• Artwork provenance
• Connecting with audiences
• Acquisitions & curation
• Research & publication
• Collectability & sales

Good story structure:

• Provides context – who, why, where, and when?
• Prioritises the artist's voice.
• Is written in a clear and consistent voice.
• Avoids jargon, complex sentences, repetition, and assumed knowledge.
• Ensures spellings for language group/clan, kin and place names are correct and apply to the artist's language group/s.
• Adopts a writing style or 'point of view' that suits the artwork – for example, first, second or third person.
• Use Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander words and passages in language, with the correct translation.

Desart recommends that the first time the word is used, it be followed by its English translation in brackets, without italics. 
eg: tjanpi (grass). After which, the language word is used without translation. 

Each art centre will have its own style, but most importantly, consistency is key.

Tips for collecting stories:

• Have artwork available for reference.
• Adhere to cultural protocols.
• Never pressure artists to share 'closed or secret sacred' stories or fabricate information.
• Engage interpreters when requested or required (art workers are great to help with this) and include a translator in the documentation.
• Film or record artists (obtain permission), especially when on Country. 
  Videos and recordings can be linked to SAM.
• Refer to language dictionaries, reference material, or any writing guides the art centre uses to ensure cultural information and spelling are correct and consistent.
• If the artwork doesn’t have a story or a name, use ‘untitled’ in the title field or a language equivalent of ‘untitled’.

Artist Story Worksheet

Artist story worksheets are helpful tools to support interviews. 
Prompt questions help capture information and create an overall story structure. 

Click here to download the Artist Story Worksheet