Aboriginal Art

Aboriginal artists today practise in one of the world's longest continuous tradition of art - and perhaps the last to be generally recognised. Widely sought after, aboriginal art has now taken its place in the collections of leading museums and galleries. This concise survey looks at the work of Australia's indigenous visual artists from all parts of the continent: from Arhem Land and the desert, the Kimberley and northern Queensland, to modern towns and cities. Building on traditions that stretch back at least 50,000 years, many of the artists have worked in a variety of contexts, from the sacred and secret realm of ceremony to more public spheres, and in media including painting, sculpture, engraving, constructions, weaving and - most recently - photography, printmaking and textile design. Beliefs embodied in the Dreaming are expressed with many layers of meaning which reflect a unique world-view.