The Dancing Shiva Four Corners report

Video: Quentin McDermott and Deborah Richards, 'The Dancing Shiva;' Four corners March 25, 2014

Four Corners investigates the art scandal that's engulfing the National Gallery of Australia, and asks were Australia's finest art experts duped?

Four Corners investigates what is now shaping up as one of Australia's biggest art scandals - a scandal that's shaken the National Gallery and dented the reputation of some of the country's top art curators and gallery administrators. [...] As one art critic told the program: "To me it's extraordinary that museum professionals can acquire Indian objects or Indian artefacts in this day and age and not seriously check the provenance." The program asks why, with so much evidence pointing to the art work being stolen, the Shiva hasn't been returned to India? The Dancing Shiva highlights the ongoing failure by many galleries to conclusively establish provenances relating to antiquities and throws the spotlight on the ethics of trading in objects which carry deep religious and cultural significance in their country of origin.

Aired on Monday 24th March at 8.30pm on ABC1.

UPDATE:
Chasing Aphrodite: 'Reckless: In Pursuit of Shiva, the National Gallery of Australia Ignored the Advice of Its Attorney', 27th March 2014.