Western Australia Painting –
Indigenous Australian art consists of art created by Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as collaborative efforts with others from many other cultures. This type of art can be considered traditional, modern, or abstract, and can even span multiple generations and genres. Art that is created by an Australian aborigine is considered valuable for many reasons. The first reason is because it is generally made by one of the first people to make it in its own culture. It is also generally rich in its history and culture and therefore holds an important place in their lives. The second reason is that it can tell a story about an important part of their history and identity.
Two paintings in particular stand out as exemplary works of aboriginal art. One is a life-size depiction of an indigenous Australian called Johnny Warangkula, who is from the remote inland area of South Australia. Warangkula’s art is included in the collection of the John James Clark Centre for Aboriginal Art, located at the Adelaide Museum. The other painting, called Anger, is by Miriam Sheean, an artist from Port MacDonnell in south-western Australia. Both paintings are included in the exhibition, titled Reflections: An Australian aboriginal Painting, which runs until the end of November. It is a major project of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Johnny Warangkula is a representative of the Murrumbidgee tribe, which is part of the Mountain Beauty Parklands community of Eborrkal, in Western Australia. He is shown sitting on a rock, surrounded by his children. The children are represented by leggings and booties. A quote from the book The Power Pause appears on the painting, indicating that Warangkula is a very proud and involved member of his community.
Traditional Ways of Indian Paintings
Anger is the second painting from the artist’s portfolio and represents one of the themes he includes in his work. The carving of the animal is done in the style of the Murrumbidgee. However, Warangkula is represented in this painting by his black dog, Brumby. The meaning of this symbolism is linked to the way that aboriginal people used to carve their bark, or strips of bark, to form sculptures and paintings.
The term “aboriginal rock painting” is generally applied to portray traditional aboriginal art, including paintings, sculpture and music. The concept of aboriginal rock art originated in Western Australia, which is an area with a strong history of artistic expression. The Pilbara, which is an indigenous aboriginal area, has an extensive range of rock areas and is considered the home of Australia’s national rock artwork, including painting. The Pilbara also has the distinction of being the world’s largest exporter of aboriginal stone and rock art. It is home to scores of artistic creations, including murals, sculptures, carvings, stone statuettes, and rock paintings.
In recent years, western Australia painting has experienced a resurgence in popularity among enthusiasts and artists interested in expressing traditional aboriginal styles. This renewed interest has been fuelled by a number of factors, such as the opening of the Pilbara National Park in 2021, and the recognition of the importance of indigenous culture to the wider Australian society. Many local artists have also taken advantage of the internet and online communities to develop their art. One of these artists, Charmaine Young, has been working on developing online galleries that feature his art. He states that traditional forms of western Australian painting such as murals, stonework and ghillie suits were greatly influenced by the works of indigenous artists over the past two hundred years. He says that he hopes that future generations will continue to respect and appreciate the art of the aborigines.
