The Oldest Ongoing Tradition of Art in the World
Australian Indigenous art is the oldest ongoing tradition of art in the world. Initial forms of artistic Aboriginal expression were rock carvings, body painting and ground designs, which date back more than 30,000 years. The quality and variety of Australian Indigenous art produced today reflects the richness and diversity of Indifenous culture and distinct differences between tribes, languages, dialects and geographic landscapes. Art has always been an important of Aboriginal life, connection past and present, the people and the land, and the supernatural and reality.
More often than not, Australia’s Indigenous art is described as the oldest surviving art tradition in the world, yet categorizing the history of its production as art history has been attempted only recently. Aboriginal art had been know worldwide through the process of European colonialism, and the last 200 years of colonial history have had an immense impact on Aboriginal society. Reading Howard Morphy’s book Aboriginal Art, it seemed interesting to ask ourselves the following questions : How do we understand the role of Aboriginal art in structuring the relations between Aborigines and outsiders, especially Europeans ? In what parts of Australia, what traditions, does he make this case and do the examples ressemble to each other ? In a first phase, we’ll think of Aboriginal art as a representation of their history and therefore their relationship with outsiders. We’ll also focus - in a second phase - on Aboriginal art as an illustration of their identity and culture, given the different groups of Aborigines among Australia.
According to Morphy, Indigeneous art is considered as a dialogue with colonial history. “Art established a line of connection with the foundational events and enabled people to maintain contact with the spiritual dimension of existence. It keeps the past alive and maintains its relevance to the present”. Aboriginal art help us understand their history, and,
More often than not, Australia’s Indigenous art is described as the oldest surviving art tradition in the world, yet categorizing the history of its production as art history has been attempted only recently. Aboriginal art had been know worldwide through the process of European colonialism, and the last 200 years of colonial history have had an immense impact on Aboriginal society. Reading Howard Morphy’s book Aboriginal Art, it seemed interesting to ask ourselves the following questions : How do we understand the role of Aboriginal art in structuring the relations between Aborigines and outsiders, especially Europeans ? In what parts of Australia, what traditions, does he make this case and do the examples ressemble to each other ? In a first phase, we’ll think of Aboriginal art as a representation of their history and therefore their relationship with outsiders. We’ll also focus - in a second phase - on Aboriginal art as an illustration of their identity and culture, given the different groups of Aborigines among Australia.
According to Morphy, Indigeneous art is considered as a dialogue with colonial history. “Art established a line of connection with the foundational events and enabled people to maintain contact with the spiritual dimension of existence. It keeps the past alive and maintains its relevance to the present”. Aboriginal art help us understand their history, and,