Australian indigenous art tells stories from the Dreaming through paintings that connect to the land. The most famous recent indigenous art has come from the Utopia region in central Australia, where artists like Emily Kame Kngwarreye pioneered painting on canvas with acrylics in the 1980s. Their vivid paintings featuring animals, landscapes, and Dreaming stories have received worldwide acclaim and can be found in major galleries. Today over 250 artists in Utopia continue producing diverse works that astound with cultural richness.

1. Australian Indigenous Art Guide for
Beginners

2. Australian indigenous art is
widely regarded both in Australia
and internationally as a body of
work significant in the history of art.
Indigenous art holds a direct
association to the land and the
‘Dreaming’ of the artist. Each
painting is a ritual storytelling about
a journey, place, animal, food,
season, initiation or event.

3. There is a succinct history of
Australian Indigenous art on the
Australian government website
at http://australia.gov.au/about-
australia/australian-story/austn-
indigenous-art
The National Gallery of Australia
is another valuable source of
information. The NGA Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander art
collection comprises over 7500
works and is the largest in the
world.

4. The most recent indigenous
paintings to excite the world have
come from the Utopian region of
Australia, a remote area 240 kms
north east of Alice Springs that is
home to around 2,000 aboriginal
people. The people here speak
very little English and there are
minimal road signs, which make
accessing the region difficult for
tourists, but also add to its allure.

5. In the late 1980’s the aboriginal
people of Utopia started to use
acrylic paint on canvas with
incredible results. It is from
Utopia that famous indigenous
artists such as Emily Kame
Kngwarreye and her brother
Kudditji Kngwarreye produced
their distinctive works.

6. Utopia is renowned for the female
artist community which continues
to thrive through a network of
dealers and representatives.
Artists such as Gloria Petyarre,
Jeannie Petyarre, Barbara Weir,
Minnie Pwerle, Angeline Pwerle,
Lenea Pwele and Evelyn Pultara
produce works of art bursting with
colour, creativity and
contemporary genius.

7. The male artists of Utopia tend to
paint with more traditional styles
depicting their Dreaming with
earthier tones and striking
structured works. The works of
Tommy Jones Kngwarrey, Clifford
Tilmouth Pungarta, and Cowboy
Louis Pwerle have a masculine
appeal and can be found in
National Galleries across
Australia.

8. The works of aboriginal and Utopian
artists have travelled the world in
exhibitions that have gained
overwhelming acclaim from noted
art critics and historians, here is a
sample:
“It was important to me that the work
be hung along with your Jackson
Pollocks and your Andy Warhols,
there is no difference.” John Weber,
John Weber Gallery, Soho, New
York.

9. “I was moved not only by the
remarkable images and the
design of the paintings, but also
by the astonishing density and
complexity of their meanings.”
Andrea Pekarik, Director, The Asia
Society Galleries, New York 1988
“No contemporary painting from
the Western tradition is able to
communicate to us in such a
straightforward way a message
that is so universal.” Professor
Maurizio Calvesi, Time Magazine
July 1990.

10. Today there are over 250
professional artists in the Utopian
region who continue to produce
works which astound with diverse
cultural richness.
The astute art collector can
access Utopian works to suit their
budget from an online art gallery
such as Art to Art. Here you can
conveniently compare a range of
indigenous art sorting by artist or
by price range.

11. You can also read about the artist
and a description of the work.
Every Australian Indigenous art
work is sold with a Certificate of
Authenticity and in most cases a
photograph of the artist painting
the actual work is also available.

12. Contact us
130 Bulleen Road,
Balwyn North
VIC 3104 Australia
P. 03 9859 6040
M. 0413 945 249
enquiries@arttoart.com.au
http://arttoart.com.au/