By Geoffrey Williams, Founder and Publishing Curator, The Indigenous Art Book
Michelle in Western Australia emailed us recently with a great question that we are going to attempt to answer in this post – and possibly another one, because once we started thinking about it, there was so much to consider! Michelle is keen to start a collection of Australian Aboriginal Art but has no idea where to start or what to include.
In the first instance, it’s pointless to recommend just buying pieces that you love, because there are so many pieces to fall in love with. And then there are the pieces you haven’t even seen! And while there are certainly no ‘rules’ to beginning, or adding to, a collection, it’s important to appreciate why you want to. Understanding why you want a collection of Indigenous art will be the starting point for the pieces you select.
A meaningful collection of Aboriginal art reflects the richness, diversity, and authenticity of Indigenous Australian cultures. It should also honour the traditions, stories, and communities from which the art originates. Collecting Aboriginal art also contributes to a more inclusive narrative by respecting the importance of Aboriginal culture within our collective modern identity.
By collecting Aboriginal art, we not only enrich our lives with compelling and meaningful works, but we also play an important role in celebrating and sustaining the culture and legacy of the world’s oldest surviving civilisation. Aboriginal art is one of the oldest continuing artistic traditions in the world, dating back over 60,000 years. Collecting and preserving this art ensures that these traditions, stories, and cultural expressions are valued, present and admired in our daily lives, and passed on through our families to future generations.
Geographic origins as a starting point for a collection
A useful starting point can be to focus on a particular geographic point of the origin of the work you want to collect. In Michelle’s case, we need to ignore the Federation border that defines ‘Western Australia’, and instead consider the vast Central and Western Desert regions, and the extraordinary pieces from the Kimberley region – Indigenous Nations, Country, and sacred ancestral and ancient cultural associations that were, and are, not defined by the post-colonial Federation borders that divide and dominate our continent today.
Dot art from the Central and Western Desert regions
The origins of Central and Western Desert ‘dot art’ are deeply rooted in cultural practices and traditions. Even though this popular and instantly recognisable style emerged as a modern form of expression in the 20th Century, it is connected to ancient traditions of storytelling and cultural preservation. Before the use of canvas and acrylics, storytellers and revered keepers of culture and story shared the details of these sacred stories directly into the surface of the desert using their hands and sticks to create epic Dreamtime stories of their ancestors, the landscape, and ceremony – designs that were, and are, an essential part of a deeply held spiritual connection to the land.
Anamarapiti by Tommy Watson. Painted in 2005. Acrylic on linen. 250cm x 183cm. Image courtesy of The MacDonald Collection and The Indigenous Art Book. © 2024. All rights reserved. Reproduction is strictly forbidden in all national and international jurisdictions.
The symbols used in dot art predate the art style itself and have been integral to Aboriginal culture for tens of thousands of years. The patterns and designs in dot art represent more than aesthetic choices – they are maps of Country, narratives of ancestral journeys, and reflections of the artists’ cultural identities. They often depict tracks, waterholes, and other elements of the natural and spiritual world. Dots were also used to obscure sacred symbols and meanings, ensuring that uninitiated viewers could not fully interpret the spiritual and cultural significance of the stories for whom they were not intended.
Dot art, as we recognise it today, began with the Papunya Tula Art Movement in 1971. Geoffrey Bardon, a schoolteacher at Papunya, encouraged the local Aboriginal men to paint their traditional stories on canvas and board. This initiative gave rise to the first dot paintings. Early artists included Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Kaapa Tjampitjinpa, and Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula, and their work brought attention to Aboriginal art as an important and valuable form of cultural expression.
Before acrylics, natural pigments like ochres were used, but they were less durable and therefore prone to disintegration over time. The acrylic paints introduced by Bardon allowed the artists to explore the integration of more vibrant colours that could reflect a vast range of ecological and environmental elements of their storytelling, while also ensuring the longevity and preservation of these important works. Today, dot art continues to evolve, blending traditional and contemporary elements, but the essential elements of each story remain connected to their cultural origins.
Wandjinas from the Kimberley region
Wandjinas are significant spiritual beings in the mythology of Indigenous people of the Kimberley region in Western Australia. They are central to the beliefs of the Worrorra, Ngarinyin, and Wunambal people, and play a vital role in their creation stories, cultural practices, and artistic traditions. Wandjinas are considered the creators of the land, people, and laws. They brought order to the world and are deeply connected to rain, water, and fertility. They are seen as custodians of life, responsible for ensuring balance and sustaining the environment.
As rainmakers, Wandjinas are invoked in rituals to bring rain and ensure the fertility of the land. They are believed to control the wet and dry seasons, essential for the survival of people and animals. Wandjinas impart the laws, customs, and ceremonies that guide the community, and they are central to teaching and passing down cultural knowledge.
Wandjinas are said to have travelled across the land during the Dreamtime, creating rivers, mountains, and other natural features. After completing their work, they merged with the land, leaving behind their spirit in the form of rock art. Some stories tell of Wandjinas emerging from waterholes, emphasising their connection to life-giving water sources.
Wandjina by Kevin Waina. Born in Wyndham in 1954, Kevin has lived most of his life in Kalumburu in the northern Kimberley region. He is a very articulate man and has in-depth knowledge of culture and stories that he is willing to share in his paintings. 133cm x 65cm. Image courtesy of The Bedford Collection and The Indigenous Art Book. © 2024. All rights reserved. Reproduction is strictly forbidden in all national and international jurisdictions.
The Wandjina remains a potent symbol of Indigenous cultural identity and spiritual connection to the land, and Wandjina art has gained recognition globally for its distinct and powerful imagery. The Wandjinas represent an enduring connection between Indigenous people, their country, and their spiritual beliefs, embodying a profound understanding of the ecological cycles throughout our natural world.
Geoffrey Williams is the Founder and Publishing Curator of The Indigenous Art Book. He is based in Darwin, Australia. The Traditional Owners of Darwin and the surrounding region are the Larrakia (Saltwater) people. Larrakia country runs far beyond the municipal boundaries of Darwin, covering the area from the Cox Peninsula in the west to the Adelaide River in the east.
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