Australian Aboriginal Art
There is no one word in any Aboriginal language for the term 'art'. Art forms are viewed as an integral part of life and the celebration of life. —Penny Tripcony, Manager, Oodgeroo Unit, Queensland University of Technology [1]
Aboriginal art authenticity
How can you be sure when you buy Aboriginal art that the artwork is an authentic piece made by Aboriginal people? Some claim that 90% "Aboriginal-style" art wasn't made by Aboriginal people.
Aboriginal art authenticity: Read more...
Aboriginal poetry
Read contemporary Aboriginal poems, an art not often found in mainstream media.
Poll
There's much more than paintings to Aboriginal art
When you think of Aboriginal art you think immediately of their paintings. But Aboriginal art is made up of so much more facets all of which belong to Aboriginal cultural practice:
- dance which recently became known through the Chooky Dancer's interpretation of Zorba the Greek (see below)
- visual arts and craft, including pottery and movies
- language which includes Aboriginal music
- lore, the 'body of knowledge', passed on through story telling
- ceremony both traditional and contemporary for tourists
Aboriginal art: Rich profits, poor artists
Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri's painting Warlugulong. Its value rose by 2,000% within 30 years.
Each year Aboriginal art contributes $100 million to the Australian economy [6]. Aboriginal paintings fetch high prices at auctions.
Warlugulong by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri was first bought by the Commonwealth Bank in 1977 for A$1,200. In 1996 the bank sold the painting for $36,000. In July 2007 the National Gallery of Australia bought the artwork at a Sotheby auction for 2.4 million dollars [2], the highest price ever paid for an Aboriginal painting, and an increase to the original price of 2,000%.
Similarly, Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula's Water Dreaming was reportedly sold in 1973 for $150. In 2000 the painting changed hands for $486,500, a rise of 3,243% in 27 years.
Can you answer?
Question: How many artists earn $7,300 or less from their art in a year? Enter your answer in % here: %
Answer:
50% [2].
To help artists earn at each resale of their artwork the French government in 1920 introduced a resale royalty, and resale rights have now been introduced right across the European Union [2]. In Australia the National Association for Visual Arts (NAVA) and Arts Law Centre of Australia were successfully lobbying for the introduction of resale royalties which was approved by the Federal Government in 2008 and is expected to be introduced in 2009.
Australian law entitles artists to copyright royalties, but this concept still faces significant resistance from auction houses and galleries. In fact, some public galleries require artists to sign a copyright waiver before they accept their paintings for exhibition.
Related articles
When I paint I feel like I'm in the Dreamtime, and can see all the animals and birds... And it keeps me off the streets and out of trouble. —Trevor 'Turbo' Brown, Latji Latji man and Aboriginal artist [5]
First Indigenous artist wins Blake Prize for Religious Art
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Stations to the Cross (detail): An image which blends Indigenous art styles with stories of Christian belief.
In August 2007 Aboriginal artist Shirley Purdie became the first Indigenous artist to win the Blake Prize for Religious Art with her painting Stations to the Cross.
Shirley's painting is a good example of how Indigenous artists blend their art styles with religious beliefs which they were taught during mission days or learned later in life.
In 2008 Shirley also won the Needham Religious Art Prize for her painting Ngabuny Ngarrangkarni (Jesus Dreaming). She collects the ochres used for her paintings from her own country [4].
For many Aboriginal artists Christian beliefs can coexists with their traditional belief system.
Learn more about Aboriginal spirituality.
Zorba the Greek Yolngu style - fusing tradition and present in dance
In late 2007 and early 2008 remote Elcho Island's "Chooky Dancers" became famous when they performed Zorba the Greek in Yolngu style, painted and all. For me this is a good example of how adapt Aboriginal people are and always were. Each new challenge is met with ingenious creativity. Another good example is the movie Bush Mechanics.
The video was shot at a festival in Ramingining in 2007. Discover the story behind the Chooky Dancers.
These dancers have put Elcho Island on the world stage in an innovative and entertaining way—blending traditional and contemporary dance with Greek music.—Steve Larkin, AIATSIS Principal [3]
Aboriginal festivals
This is the start of a collection of festivals celebrating Aboriginal arts and culture.
- Barunga Festival, Barunga, NT. Home of the famous Barunga Bark Petition, the Barunga Festival is one of Australia's longest-running Indigenous community festivals. It is celebrated each year over the Queen's Birthday long weekend.
Arts: Are you an Aboriginal person? Get involved!
For this project I'd like to involve Aboriginal people as much as possible. It should also become a platform for your voice and your story.
If you think you can contribute to any of these areas on the left-hand side, I am happy to listen to your advice. If necessary I can help you to put it into words, an audio file or an image for this site.
Contact me and we can find a way how your story helps towards true reconciliation.
[1] http://www.oodgeroo.qut.edu.au/academic_resources/academicpape/tooobviousto.jsp [2] 'Hope for artists', Koori Mail 417, p.26 [3] 'Yolngu darlings of YouTube wow Canberra', Koori Mail 419, p.3 [4] 'Warmun artist a winner', Koori Mail 422, p.38 [5] 'Artist's focus on Dreamtime animals', Koori Mail 422, p.51 [6] 'Caring for culture, Caring for country', NIT 10/7/2008 p.17
The author of this site wishes to recognise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the land in which we live and work.