Australian Indigenous Art Guide for

Beginners

Australian indigenous art is

widely regarded both in Australia

and internationally as a body of

work significant in the history of art.

Indigenous art holds a direct

association to the land and the

‘Dreaming’ of the artist. Each

painting is a ritual storytelling about

a journey, place, animal, food,

season, initiation or event.

There is a succinct history of

Australian Indigenous art on the

Australian government website

at http://australia.gov.au/about-

australia/australian-story/austn-

indigenous-art

The National Gallery of Australia

is another valuable source of

information. The NGA Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander art

collection comprises over 7500

works and is the largest in the

world.

The most recent indigenous

paintings to excite the world have

come from the Utopian region of

Australia, a remote area 240 kms

north east of Alice Springs that is

home to around 2,000 aboriginal

people. The people here speak

very little English and there are

minimal road signs, which make

accessing the region difficult for

tourists, but also add to its allure.

In the late 1980’s the aboriginal

people of Utopia started to use

acrylic paint on canvas with

incredible results. It is from

Utopia that famous indigenous

artists such as Emily Kame

Kngwarreye and her brother

Kudditji Kngwarreye produced

their distinctive works.

Utopia is renowned for the female

artist community which continues

to thrive through a network of

dealers and representatives.

Artists such as Gloria Petyarre,

Jeannie Petyarre, Barbara Weir,

Minnie Pwerle, Angeline Pwerle,

Lenea Pwele and Evelyn Pultara

produce works of art bursting with

colour, creativity and

contemporary genius.

The male artists of Utopia tend to

paint with more traditional styles

depicting their Dreaming with

earthier tones and striking

structured works. The works of

Tommy Jones Kngwarrey, Clifford

Tilmouth Pungarta, and Cowboy

Louis Pwerle have a masculine

appeal and can be found in

National Galleries across

Australia.

The works of aboriginal and Utopian

artists have travelled the world in

exhibitions that have gained

overwhelming acclaim from noted

art critics and historians, here is a

sample:

“It was important to me that the work

be hung along with your Jackson

Pollocks and your Andy Warhols,

there is no difference.” John Weber,

John Weber Gallery, Soho, New

York.

“I was moved not only by the

remarkable images and the

design of the paintings, but also

by the astonishing density and

complexity of their meanings.”

Andrea Pekarik, Director, The Asia

Society Galleries, New York 1988

“No contemporary painting from

the Western tradition is able to

communicate to us in such a

straightforward way a message

that is so universal.” Professor

Maurizio Calvesi, Time Magazine

July 1990.

Today there are over 250

professional artists in the Utopian

region who continue to produce

works which astound with diverse

cultural richness.

The astute art collector can

access Utopian works to suit their

budget from an online art gallery

such as Art to Art. Here you can

conveniently compare a range of

indigenous art sorting by artist or

by price range.

You can also read about the artist

and a description of the work.

Every Australian Indigenous art

work is sold with a Certificate of

Authenticity and in most cases a

photograph of the artist painting

the actual work is also available.

Contact us

130 Bulleen Road,

Balwyn North

VIC 3104 Australia

P. 03 9859 6040

M. 0413 945 249

enquiries@arttoart.com.au

http://arttoart.com.au/