Aboriginal History
Aboriginal art has existed for over 50,000 years and, stems from the roots of Aboriginal peoples. Through archeological digs, it is supported that Aboriginal peoples were the first to settle in Australia between 50,000-60,000 years ago. Some of the earliest dated archeological sites are in Northern Australia, such as in Arnhem Land, at the Madjebebe (Malakunanja II) site, which is believed to be over 50,000 years old (NMA).
Aboriginal art gives us a window to Australia's past as well since many paintings show animals that have been long extinct and a landscape that is vastly different than what we now know, marking itself as an important part of the historical record for the Australian continent. Today Aboriginal people use modern art materials to create their paintings but rely on ancient stories and culture passed down to give meaning to their works. Many artworks are based on the Dreaming (Dreamtime) or Creation stories that tell of how the land and all of nature were created by the Ancestors. The Dreaming stories connect people to the land, telling them to be guardians and to continue the traditions and ceremonies of their Ancestors (Japingka).
Traditionally ochre was used on bark, body, cave walls, ceremonial articles, and rock to create art for thousands of years, it wasn't until the 1930s that the first paintings were created. These paintings were of desert landscapes by Albert Namatjira in watercolor. They were first exhibited in Adelaide in 1937 (Aboriginal).
Today we will be looking at Aboriginal art from ancient creations to the 20th Century.
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| Cross-Hatching Art Example (Ancient) by Aboriginal peoples Created and Located: Arnhem Land (NT), Australia |
About the Art
Cross-hatching, also known as Rarrk, is an art technique developed by Aboriginal people, it is still unsure of how many thousands of years this style dates back. These works are believed to hold great spiritual power and were originally traditional ceremonial paintings. They are created using either hair-like bristles from a reed or human hair to make intricate fine lines (AboriginalStyle).
Aesthetic Reaction
I like this piece, it feels like you are sitting by a lake or ocean watching these creatures swim and have fun about their day. The intricate lines fascinate me and fill me with admiration, as it seems like a quite time-consuming task. I'm unsure if this is something I would own but I would love to see more work done in this style.
Art Elements
Line: The lines for the cross-hatching are thin and delicate while the lines for the bodies of the animals are bold and stand out.
Shape/Pattern: The shapes of this artwork are oblong and unique throughout most of the work. While there are some regular, triangles and rectangles that can be made out as well. Some of these shapes are used to create patterns on the bodies of the creatures.
Color: Natural earth tones are used, which adds to the serene feeling of being in nature with them yourself.
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| Stone Churinga (Ancient) by Aboriginal peoples Created and Located: Western Desert, Western Australia |
About the Art
Stone Churingas are stones that have been engraved, (petroglyphs), to tell the stories of the Alcheringa spirits' travels. The symbols on the stone churingas can also be found in cave paintings where Alcheringa spirit ceremonies were held (AboriginalBark).
Aesthetic Reaction
Although it is a stone with engravings, this stone feels powerful with the weight of its spiritual connection. I find the symbols intriguing, wishing to follow them and see where they take me. I would be delighted to have something like this in my home.
Art Elements
Shape: The shape of the rock itself is a smooth oval, while symbols of spiraling circles flow along its shape.
Line: The lines are expertly and delicately chiseled in this rock, you can tell a lot of care went into engraving this.
Form: By grouping small lines together, footprints take form walking around the stone.
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| Desert Landscape 1937 by Albert Namatjira Created: Hermannsburg Mission near Alice Springs, Australia Located: Adelaide, Australia |
About the Art
This piece is one of the desert landscapes that Namatjira painted in 1937 for the first expedition exhibiting painted Aboriginal art. It is painted using watercolor versus the traditional ochre (Aboriginal). Namatjira painted the way for future Aboriginal watercolor artists.Aesthetic Reaction
This is a breathtaking landscape of the desert that makes you feel like you could walk right into it and take a venture. This would be a lovely piece to own.
Art Elements
Shape: Distorted trapezoids can be made out to give shape to the dunes/mountains, while blurred triangles make up the trees.
Line/Form: Lines are soft, almost nonexistent, just color that exists to take the form of the natural land.
Color: Namatjira stays true to the natural landscape color palette that he is painting to create a piece of work that makes you feel like you could step right in.
Works Cited
Aboriginal Art Styles. “Aboriginal Art Styles.” Artlandish Aboriginal Art Gallery, 2024, www.aboriginal-art-australia.com/aboriginal-art-library/aboriginal-art-styles/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Aboriginal Bark Paintings. “Australian Cave Painting | Australian Rock Art | Aboriginal Rock Art.” Aboriginal Bark Paintings, 16 Mar. 2020, www.aboriginal-bark-paintings.com/cave-painting/.
Japingka Aboriginal Art. “Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery - Perth, Western Australia.” Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery, 2024, japingkaaboriginalart.com/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Linklater, Scott. “The Amazing Story of Aboriginal Art.” Artlandish Aboriginal Art, 31 Aug. 2015, www.aboriginal-art-australia.com/aboriginal-art-library/the-story-of-aboriginal-art/?srsltid=AfmBOopLYv88rpeU7zcWehF4XedS2sKEzl274aKOu3Qg-rIgyiKjUvxi.
National Museum Australia. “Evidence of First Peoples.” Nma.gov.au, 27 Oct. 2022, https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/evidence-of-first-peoples.
Hey Abbie, I love the variety between the pieces you chose. Aboriginal art is incredibly unique and isn't talked about enough. It lets historians see a glimpse into ancient native cultures and cross-reference differences between their modern counterparts. My favorite piece you chose is the cross-hatching art example, I like how abstract is. The lines make the figures and background blend together and seem like one. Which highlights a spiritual connection between them and their surroundings.
ReplyDeleteThese were some wonderful choices. I especially liked cross-hatching art, it almost looks like something you'd see in a more modern abstract art movement. Those incredibly fine lines must have taken such effort to create, and it makes me appreciate what ancient Aboriginal artists were able to do. I also appreciate how you incorporated some of the cultural aspect of Aboriginals into your analysis, as I've always found different belief systems and cultural practices fascinating. It's interesting that their primary medium was ochre, as I'm fairly certain most cave painting around the world, such as in Spain to South Africa were created with ochre as the main pigment. I think there's even evidence that Neanderthals used ochre in similar ways, which makes our connections with the pigment all the more ancient.
ReplyDeleteThis art is beautiful land I appreciate the historical context you gave and the thorough research you did for these pieces. I really love the rock. It’s fascinating how intricate the carvings are, especially the small footprints. They really did have to take care in carving the design. I am so glad I read about this, as it was very interesting and enlightening. This artwork is beautiful, and I appreciate the historical context you provided along with the thorough research behind these pieces. I am particularly fascinated by the rock and the intricate carvings, especially the small footprints. It’s evident that a great deal of care was taken in creating the designs. You did a great job shedding light on this art and its history.
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