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In this module we trace the 'journey to recognition' for Indigenous art. Today Aboriginal culture is celebrated as unique symbol of national identity and the fascination with Australia's Indigenous culture extends to overseas visitors.
A recent Australia Council survey revealed that 50 percent of overseas visitors to Australia are interested in learning about Aboriginal culture and 30 percent want to purchase an item of Aboriginal art (Morphy, p. 35).
This was not always so. Australian Indigenous culture is the world's oldest living culture reaching back at least 40,000 years. Yet, Australia as a nation has existed only since 1788. With colonisation Indigenous people suffered dispossession, violence and terrible destruction of their cultural traditions. In the eyes of the colonisers Indigenous culture was almost invisible.
The 'journey to recognition' has involved changing European attitudes towards both Indigenous people and their culture.
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Themes
In this module we look at three aspects of recognition:
• Institutions and the significance of their collection and display of Indigenous art.
• Appropriation
and admiration of Aboriginal art.
• Economies -
the marketing of Indigenous art and emergence of an Aboriginal art industry.
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View the contents of this module in a table.
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Get a list of referenced readings and website urls for this module.
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