Aboriginal Art

The largest collection of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal art, comprising over 7500 works, is housed in the National Gallery of Australia. The collection reflects work that is so deeply inspired by nature, denoting a respect for flora and fauna at the heart of the relationship between Aborigines and their environment. The natural elements have a particular power which extends beyond the physical and are essential in the Dreamtime, or the term used to describe stories pertaining to Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and the origins of the world. By transmitting the four sacred colors of; white, black, red and yellow, aboriginal art is not only one of the most ancient forms of art (dating back further than 17,000 years), but also one of the most culturally significant due to the depth of meaning it accommodates. Such artwork and its iconography was key in storytelling and communication and through its symbols one can decode the combinations of dots, lines and other markings to reveal ancient messages. In this collection, discover the Aboriginal artists currently found in the art market. Such artists will certainly continue the legacy of Aborginal art with the likes of Judy Watson Napangardi and the sculptural portraits of Les Hélènes.