Introduction to Introduction to Aboriginal ArtAboriginal Art

Spirituality and Symbolism

The Dreaming

• ‘The Dreaming’ refers to the time when Aboriginal ancestral spirits emerged from and inhabited earth.

• Ancestral beings came in both human and animal form, such as Lightning Men or the Rainbow Serpent.

Creation

• The Aboriginal people believe spirit journeys created the physical environment like, rivers, mountains and the stars.

• The spirits entrusted land, power, traditions and laws to the Aboriginal people.

Ancestral Spirits

• The spirits returned to the supernatural world below the earth, where their lives gave power to significant sites.

• The Aboriginal people can access the power of the ancestral beings through ceremony, song, ritual and art.

Symbols

• Artworks have symbols which tell stories that are passed down between generations.

• Individual people are connected to particular dreamings according to their family line.

• Different dreamings are associated with different places, so interpretation of these symbols are personal.

Maps and Journeys

• The art of the Aboriginal people can be viewed as an aerial ‘map’ of journeys across the land.

• They use symbols to represent significant sites or events in their art.

William SandyDingo Dreaming 1983

• This represents the extensive desert area of the Pitjantjatjara homelands

• The two large circles represent waterholes

• These footprints represent the journeys of the dingo ancestors

• The human footprints represent the major creation journey taken by two women from waterhole to waterhole across the desert

Painting Materials

• Traditionally bark, skin, stones, wood and cave walls were painted.

• Paint called ‘ochre’ was made by grinding rocks, clay, charcoal and dirt.

• Brushes were made from sticks, feathers or human hair.

• Modern Aboriginal artists also use canvas, paper, oil and acrylic paints.

Sally MorganMy Place 1986

• This modern image represents a journey and depicts the artists family history.

• It is outlined by a rainbow serpent to represent strength and unity.

X-Ray Style

• The x-ray style shows the inside and outside structure of its subject.

• Here we can see the ‘outside’ or the outline of the crocodile, as well as lines ‘inside’ or on its body.

Your Task

• Design an Aboriginal x-ray style aerial map.

• It should represent the journey you have or will take around the school today.

• Use symbols to represent significant places and join them together to tell a story.

Don’t forget your friends, the bus stop and where you have lunch!