why are the experts in denial?

Noah G. Hoffman- "Mark Rothko would not have become a great artist if he hadn't observed Native American ceremonies. The question is...So why are the experts in denial?"·
Charleen Touchette at 9:54am March 15
"The "experts" deny the influence of American Indian art and artists on mainstream artists like Rothko, Gottlieb, Pollock and others for the same reason they discount the direct seminal influence ndn artists like George Morrison had on the development of Abstract Expressionism to perpeturate the myth that their modernist artists were original and came up with these revolutionary art ideas on their own.
Their denial of the influence of indigenous art is based in racism, but also in self-interest to abet western artists' claim of originality and discovery of art ideas already long used and explored by indigenous artists. Just another example of the persistence and ubiquitity of imperialism and exploitation of other cultures in the arts."
Charleen Touchette at 10:02am March 15
"Part of my exhibiton Native Abstraction at the Museum of Indian Arts Museum in Santa Fe in 1997 addressed the cross-cultural influene of ndn artists on mainstream modernists artists and vice versa. It featured photos and museum objects that influenced the 8 Native abstract artits in the exhibit and of American Indian art that influenced major mainstream artists like Gottleib, Pollock and Rothko.
I wrote a catalog that, unfortunately, has not yet been published, but I'll post it online in the next few weeks." (Will publish at OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com)