Tales of the Desert
australian aboriginal art
23rd of june till the 31st of july
australian aboriginal art is a unique and fascinating art movement, it exists as both artistic and anthropological in its nature. described by critic and writer robert hughes as “the last great art movement to emerge in the twentieth century”. aboriginal artists tap into stories from their religious belief called the jakurrpa or roughly translated to english as ‘the dreaming’ for their paintings. ‘the dreaming’ stories have been handed down through generations and date to around 50,000 years old, making it the oldest and richest in human history.
for many aboriginal artists, the line that exists between art, crafts and design in western conceptions of art are largely irrelevant as they view their works to be a byproduct of their culture and spirituality. the aboriginal artist is a storyteller, narrating his or her story through the act of painting. each work conceals an ancient or personal story represented through symbols and marks such as lines and dots.
‘the dreaming’ is a complex philosophy that encompasses all aspect of life for the aboriginals. this exhibition of aboriginal art seeks to present these stories and the rich cultural heritage of the aboriginal people. though the stories are obscure to viewers, the paintings stand on their own as unique cultural objects and fine works of art.