| Without a doubt, Australian Aboriginal Art is a form | | | | preserve it, such as paper, the doors at the school |
| of art that has had a huge impact around the world. | | | | and eventually transferring them to canvas. |
| Robert Hughes is a prominent art critic and long time | | | | Bardon worked alongside the Aboriginal painters and, |
| writer for Time Magazine and describes Aboriginal Art | | | | in the early 70's, the Papunya Tula painting |
| as the 'last great art movement'. | | | | movement was founded. Bardon dedicated many |
| What makes that statement so significant is | | | | years of his life to recording and supporting the art |
| Australian Aboriginal Art is one of the oldest forms of | | | | he respected so much. He was instrumental in |
| Art anywhere on the planet yet as an art style | | | | establishing the art centre at Papunya and with it the |
| commercially it is one of the youngest. | | | | last great art movement began. |
| Ancient Rock Art found in some of the remotest | | | | From Papunya, Aboriginal Art found its way to |
| parts of Australia date back 30,000 to 40,000 years. | | | | Central Australia, Kimberley in Western Australia and |
| However, as a saleable commodity, this form of art | | | | up to the north of Australia in Arnhem Land, as well |
| has only really been available since the 70's. | | | | as the Tiwi Islands. Now recognized all over Australia, |
| The unification of ancient custom and practice and | | | | Aboriginal communities all over the country share their |
| the originality of Aboriginal Art emerging on the | | | | history and culture through art to anyone who is |
| international art market, has produced a huge | | | | interested. |
| reaction through the art world as it is realized as a | | | | There is a huge difference in Aboriginal Art styles as |
| discovery that will never be seen again. | | | | each area of Australia is distinctive and totally |
| Aboriginal Artists have actually been selling their | | | | separate from other parts of the country, each has |
| unusual artwork since before the 1930's, not yet | | | | their own unique traditions, culture, and stories to tell. |
| known to the international market it remained | | | | Aboriginal Art is not only the leading art style in |
| contained within Australia seen only by those who | | | | Australia today, but also one of the most significant |
| happened to be travelling through the remote parts | | | | globally with major works of art by Aboriginal artists |
| of the country and discovered it for themselves. | | | | hanging in famous art galleries, auction houses and |
| Generally, artwork produced from these times was | | | | private collections. |
| created on bark. Canvas was not introduced to the | | | | Since its emergence commercially in the 70's and |
| Aborigines until the early 70's when Geoffrey Bardon, | | | | steady growth through the 80's, Aboriginal Art has |
| a graduate of the National Art School, took on a | | | | burst onto the international Art landscape. |
| teaching job at Papunya, an isolated Aboriginal | | | | As demand rises and international art fanatics start to |
| settlement 250 km west of Alice Springs. | | | | understand its unique history as one of the oldest |
| Bardon noticed the people at Papunya drawing | | | | and youngest styles of art at the same time, the |
| images and stories in the sand. Bardon persuaded | | | | realization that it just may be the last great art |
| them to do the same but using various materials to | | | | movement ever discovered is remarkable. |