In 1988 the artists of Ramingining, a remote Central Arnhem Land community, were responsible for perhaps the most-moving political statement made during Australia’s bicentenary year. Djon Mundine tells UK-based anthropologist Howard Morphy, how this extraordinary monument came to be made.
In the choice of Rover Thomas and Trevor Nickolls to echibit in the Australian Pavilion at the 1990 Venice Biennale, Australia will present a combination that challenges many conventional attitudes to Aboriginal art. Simultaneously the exhibition offers an appropriate platform to two important if highly idiosyncratic contemporary painters.
Explores a historic trip for six traditional artists from Australia for the exhibition 'Magicians of the Earth'. This global overview was created to "reveal the force of communication" and was true to its title.
"How many people still think that up north or in the centre is the only place for real Aboriginal art. You know when you work with it, selling it, buying it, you hear it all the time."
Bathurst and Melville Islands lie of the north coast of Australia about 100 kms from Darwin. They are the home to the Tiwi. As a result of the isolation of Tiwi people their culture has developed independently from others on the mainland. This is reflected in their art which is very bold.
Narrangunnawali was an exhibition by Aboriginal artists from Canberra and the surrounding region mounted by the Canberra Contemporary Art Space 31 August - 23 September 1989.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Education Centre in Cairns is a vocational school of Arts aimed at the development and realisation of Aboriginal artistic talent.
The people of Utopia have been making important visual images for thousands of years, on their bodies and ceremonial objects. In 1977 these images leapt onto lengths of silk via the batik technique and it was in this medium that the women of Utopia went on to establish a reputation for themselvs with their powerful images and distinctive style.
Hello. My name is Marshall Bell. I live at Inala in Queensland. My father was from the famous Jiman Tribe of Hornet Hill massacre mob. My mother was from the Kamilaroi nation Gunedah/Kooma clans. I was born at the now defunct Charleville Aboriginal reserve in the desert of south west Queensland. Having been living off my art for the last 5 years in a suppressive Queensland environment, I think I know what it is like to be living in isolation.
Emerging from the heart of central Australia is the most exciting and dynamic development in modern Australian art. The materials are modern -acrylic on canvas. But the content is traditional - mythical and ritual.