Aboriginal Art Blog

What is a "part aboringine"? I have never met my ...

2009-10-21T23:10:40.405+10:30

What is a "part aboringine"?

I have never met my birth parents, however, the records of my adoption describe my father as having 'black skin, black eyes, and black hair' and that he was Aboringinal (not sure if this was just one part, like a big toe perhaps) and lived at a location that was a well known Aboriginal camp in the 1960s. The description of my birth mother is of a 'fair skinned, blonde haired, blue eyed' woman - an 'english rose' complexion.

My adoptive paternal grandmother told me of her Aboringinal ancestry when I was a kid. I always thought she must have been a Russian princess with her dark deep set sparkling eyes and olive complexion. However, Gran, and my Dad and his 3 sisters denied this side of their identity to be able to make it in a racist world.

Now, I want to celebrate my Aboriginal ancestry (both by birth and adoption) and raise my kids to be proud of their identity.

To be denied this - by people of whatever cultural belonging - is as unfair as the old assimilation policies.

I have never benefited financially from identifying as Koori, Nevertheless, I do a lot of voluntary work on committees aimed at bridging the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians and to increase understanding and awareness of Aboriginal culture and Australia's black history.

I'm a white blackfella - people constantly feel the need to tell me how the bloody Abo's get everything for free... until I tell them that I'm Aboriginal. I'm an Aussie, a Koori and whatever else. But, I cant say that I am divided into a part that's black (the part that tans well at the beach?) and another part white.

As more people are ABLE to reveal the secret of their identity the more white blackfellas there will be. Not all awards are designed for the "authentic" desert black, if such a person even exists! Programs that aim to 'close the gap' have very stringent rules for participants, someone like me would NEVER qualify, I'm not poor, stolen nor did I miss out on a decent education. But, perhaps on day I'll get some funding, but it will not be for me, it will be to the further research of Aboringinality &/or reducing the apalling human rights record regarding Aboriginal & TI people.

Whatever happened to multicultural harmony through embracing diversity?

Sharyn

Because Mr Garrett's scheme is not compulsory for ...

2009-09-23T15:00:41.874+09:30

Because Mr Garrett's scheme is not compulsory for artists, I can support Mr Garrett's scheme. It is immensely preferable to the authoritarian and draconian stripping of artists' individual rights of control, sought after by the management of Viscopy and NAVA.

Garrett's scheme might have some use as a way of reining in some of the more 'out there' practices in the remote areas.

Many will be pushed into adopting sale by commission, rather than buying the work and then reselling at an exorbitant markup.

Mr Garrett's scheme might be or might not be fairly useless - time will tell. The scheme sought after by NAVA and Viscopy was, in my opinion, definitely very BAD; morally wrong and potentially harmful to artists.

I think as an Aboriginal man to hear of this is an...

2009-09-13T19:07:54.819+09:30

I think as an Aboriginal man to hear of this is an insult to us all to see these so called 'white Aboriginals' taking this award from those who deserve it the most with their proven Identity.

There are more and more claiming to be of Aboriginal heritage these days! We shouldnt judge on clour of the skin but on how we are bought up in the Aboriginal way!

To be Indigenous isnt proven by clour but by how your bought up, your country, culture, being accpeted by your community etc..

I am sick of these people popping up claiming this and having nothing to prove it!

Are we to be a culture where these people are watering down our culture! dont they have to have some kind of documented proof from their communities where they come from?

I have some family members who are fairer but they are bought up in our way how we think...

We need to put a stop to these people coming out of the woodwork!

David, Ngarrindjeri nation SA

Roman Sledz is my father in law. I own and created...

2009-09-04T09:35:07.408+09:30

Roman Sledz is my father in law.
I own and created the Folk Arts of Poland in Santa Fe, NM over 15 years ago in 1994. My private collection of Roman Sledz sculptures exceeds well over 100 early to mid post communist period sculptures. I have known Roman since 1995 and began purchasing then because of his unique form of Polish folk art and his ability to depict the sufferings of the biblical subjects he carves. In 2004, he was invited to exhibit/sell his works at the International Folk Art Market on the grounds of the State owned International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe. For five years I was the Markets regional coordinator of Baltic States and Polish folk artists. While he and his wife Bogomila were staying at our home, I brought him to an American Indian Museum, Northern New Mexican Santo's carvers museum, and another small museum where he was interviewed along with local Hispanic Santo's carvers. Not sure where you got your quote supposedly said by him concerning aboriginal art. It is so unlike him to talk this way. He is a very quite person. Sounds like some online store's creative publicity stunt to sell his works.
Greg Quevillon
Folk Arts of Poland
118 Don Gaspar Avenue
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Interesting blog, need more article like this put ...

2009-07-03T11:44:44.143+09:30

Interesting blog, need more article like this put online for aboriginal art, maybe should do some comments on the online stuff like buy art online sites, there are lots of aboriginal arts.

I am very pleased to see Australian art in a blog,...

2009-07-01T01:04:07.564+09:30

I am very pleased to see Australian art in a blog, even if it is 10,000 ks away :)

I am asking art-related bloggers to name their favourite art gallery and say why. If you are interested in participating, please see "World's favourite art galleries".

Select your own gallery, by all means, but be as rigorous as you would be with any other gallery.

thanks
Hels
Art and Architecture, mainly

Aboriginal art like every folk art is very valuabl...

2009-06-30T21:00:08.276+09:30

Aboriginal art like every folk art is very valuable and can be really astonishing. Great decorativity etc. I love them. Thank you for the post!

I think Australian Aboriginal Art has a huge marke...

2009-06-22T22:43:37.740+09:30

I think Australian Aboriginal Art has a huge market especially over seas. Its good to have a look at the online marketing, there are plenty of places to get a online store and portfolio. like www.wonderart.com.au, they are a pretty new and funky website offer free online store.

Blog is exceptional only forward! We wish you all ...

2009-03-22T22:21:00.000+10:30

Blog is exceptional only forward! We wish you all the best in the future and thus be exceptional!

Sincerely,
Darko
Serbia
www.artgalerija.net

wow I love Aboriginal Art now. I just found out wh...

2009-01-25T10:51:00.000+10:30

wow I love Aboriginal Art now. I just found out what it was when some one told me my stuff looked like it. thanks.

To the person that keeps leaving comments re this ...

2009-01-16T21:54:43.828+10:30

To the person that keeps leaving comments re this post: All comments are moderated. I will not post slanderous comments from an anonymous poster.

If you believe what you are saying and can verify it, then you should have no trouble putting your name and contact details to the post. Why post anonymously? If I was to post your comments it would be me that would be sued for defamation wouldn't it? It's very easy to say whatever you want when no one knows who you are,different story when you have to put your name to it.

Lets see if you are prepared to do that!

OUTBACK DOC, thankyou, just what I was thinking, y...

2008-12-29T22:39:00.000+10:30

OUTBACK DOC, thankyou, just what I was thinking, you said it all and very constructively.
I saw AUSTRALIA tonight and loved it. I do get what the main message is, and all the symbolism.
And I think the stars were actually the landscape/earth and characters who care for eachother.
I have a limited knowledge of psychology and psychiatry, but as for where Mr Bolt sits on the autism spectrum, read the definition of mild aspergers.
Besides obsessive compulsiveness leading him to write wierd stuff about certain groups of people,
I think he is displays a lot of rigid thinking which can come across as hateful.
FLOOD

Breath taking, this remind me a stunnung exhibitio...

2008-12-09T03:04:00.000+10:30

Breath taking, this remind me a stunnung exhibition un paris 20 years ago "les magiciens de la terre"

Thank you for this excellent blog
Kind regards
Pascal
http://www.agitatto.com/blog/

well… i visit your website first time and found th...

2008-11-25T16:23:00.000+10:30

well… i visit your website first time and found this site very usefull and intresting !

well… you guys doing nice work and i just want to say that keep rocking and keep it up !!!!

Regards
Alishba
http://www.chelmerfineart.com/

Whilst we must acknowledge traditional and spiritu...

2008-10-28T12:06:00.000+10:30

Whilst we must acknowledge traditional and spiritual artists and designers of the desert regions. There are many Aboriginal artists who were not born in traditional lands and live or lived by old ways that are often overlooked. These artists are those that live in suburbia and are considered comtemporary Aboriginal artists. They are usually overlooked in most art competitions and unrecognised for their skill of painting, drawing, sculpting or designing. Their paintings are often more modern than desert art but have the influences of traditional culture. Many of these suburban artists are descendants of children removed during assimilation and do not paint in the traditional desert form as this is not their culture and some do not know from what place they came, they do however know that they are Aboriginal.
A considerable amount of suburban artists produce commercial work but it is always at a cost far less than what considered 'desert work' is.
Appreciation can be limited.
When I look at some paintings I have purchased that were created by such suburban artists as Mundara Koorang, Nganuwaay Kooly and B.B. Kunda, I can not but help think what a shame these art pieces which I find extroidinarily complicated and beautiful are not worth $30,000 or so but can only be sold for a minute fraction of that amount.

I think all Aboriginal artists should receive the same recognition for their artworks, not just because they are desert painters. I love desert work but I also love the contemporary art pieces I have and my personal belief is that they are worth far more for their detail, beauty and uniquness than a painting that has a couple of lines on it, painted by someone in the central or top end of Australia. This is my personal belief and does not reflect the thoughts of anyone else.

My message to all those that run Aboriginal Art Competitions, which I see year after year only won by desert painters. Give the suburban artists a go.

Re Mr Bolt’s comments on the advertisements about ...

2008-10-25T18:43:00.000+10:30

Re Mr Bolt’s comments on the advertisements about The Church of New Age Australia, where there are no beaches, bouncing breasts, Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Hotels, MCG, shopping and “stuff” for the kids, reef cruises,big cities,etc – perhaps this erudite gent should take his own advice and “loosen up guy”. Imagine “Church” as a generic word to describe a place where one goes to find peace, revitalised with the strength to cope with life, to get away from all the “stuff” out there in every day living.

The advertisements are a tool to create interest. When planning a holiday,everyone consults travel brochures and agents, not a fistful of dirt which is merely symbolic. Mr Bolt would be amazed to find that Tourism is not flogging places where few tourist buses go, and the very bits of our country few foreign tourists bother to visit. Or would he? Is he playing Devil’s Advocate here?

The town of Kununurra, where the major filming was carried out, including the building of the set for the cattle station homestead, swells from a permanent population of 6,500 to over 100,000 during the Tourist Season. Agreed, there are none of the attractions of City life which Mr Bolt states the pragmatic people of this world require (so why bother to leave home?). Likewise, there is no long and dusty trek to the airport – it’s called a two kilometre sealed road. Not far from Kununurra is El Questro Resort on a million acre Wilderness Park,accommodation to equal the best in the World, two airstrips, and just outside this comfort zone, amazing rock art, breathtaking scenery, safe walking trails, waterfalls and blood-red sunsets – ask your travel agent – I’m sure the viewers who see the advertisements will.

That’s just one of the resorts that take care of the people who want five star treatment – then we have the alternative bush camps in the Purnululu National Park (World Heritage listed) – more to do here for the kids than shopping which seems high on Mr. Bolt’s list. The Katherine Gorge scenario – Sir, never discount backpackers – many have a joint Black American Express card with their parents back home. They choose to see Australia as a …backpacker.

I have no vested interest in Tourism – I do have a wish for overseas visitors to experience our great country. By the way, I know what clapping sticks are, but haven’t a clue what ommmms could be, apart from a very bad attempt to describe either an Aboriginal musical instrument or song.

Outback Doc

Must admit, didn't like the adverts on first viewi...

2008-10-19T15:43:00.000+10:30

Must admit, didn't like the adverts on first viewing. After a re-think, the words Walkabout, Billabongs and Boabs plus a super cute Aboriginal lass just may hit the target market/target destination. Outback Australia is the only place in the world to find all these.

Spot on, excellent article. The bureaucrats or som...

2008-10-18T10:23:00.000+10:30

Spot on, excellent article. The bureaucrats or some of curators they employ wouldn't know the first thing about the art they are trying to govern or what damage these restriction are causing a market they now take for granted. From what I understand the law was waved at the big Possum painting so that the NGA could get it for half price.. Granted it was one of the better institutional purchases but about time! I believe that the only way the guv can cope with their lack of expertise is to employ a blanket ban. The fact is that if it wasn't for savvy American and European interest we wouldn't have come this far. If the Aboriginal market was left to the mercy of the Pro Hart crowd all of the great masterpieces would still be rotting away in back yard sheds. Priority should be the culture and its sensitivities but better consulting and greater foresight should be shown first.

Hi, please email me at info@aboriginalartblog.com ...

2008-09-06T02:50:47.559+09:30

Hi, please email me at info@aboriginalartblog.com so i can give you some additional information.

Cheers

Do you know of anywhere in new york city i could p...

2008-09-04T06:45:00.000+09:30

Do you know of anywhere in new york city i could purchase real aboriginal artwork (paintings). I'm not wealthy but love the artwork and would like to buy a piece to hang in my apt.

The 1954-2004 data shows, over the last 50 years, ...

2008-08-21T15:09:00.000+09:30

The 1954-2004 data shows, over the last 50 years, stocks (as represented by the S&P 500) returned 10.9 percent annually, while the art index returned 10.5 percent per annum. The most recent annual five and ten year returns for art, 16.2% and 10.3%, exceed the returns of stocks often offering investors a safe heaven during stockmarket crashes.

AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL ART & RETURN OPTIMISATION

More recently, art funds have been created to allow rich people to invest in a portfolio of fine art assets (e.g. a London-based Fine Art Fund, created by a former Christie's executive). Art has always followed the money, and money follows the strongest markets. Dealers like Larry “Go-Go” Gagosian, Daniella Luxembourg and Jeffrey Deitch, hedge fund moguls and newly born oligarchs want to participate in $30 Billion Private Art Sales Around the World buying multi-million dollar works. In the meanwhile, Professors Moses & Mei found (page 22, Figure 3) that art purchased for less than $100,000 produced significantly higher returns than art purchased for $100,000-$1m or higher. Professor Worthington of QUT School of Economics and Finance studied global art markets and calculated returns in Australian art market based on about 36,000 auction sales. In his study at University of Wollongong he identified Australian Fine Art as a separate Alternative Investment asset class, that produced 30-year average annual returns of 8.23% for all artists as average, in line with other world art markets, and works costing $10,000-$35,000 providing highest returns.

Prior to 1990s Australian aboriginal art was viewed merely as part of tourism only to power charge resale values, like $1.056 million for Emily Kame Kngwarreye's Earth's Creation and $2.4m for Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri’s Warlugulong in recent years. The Warlugulong painting was bought by Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) in 1977 for $1200. In 1996, Melbourne art dealer Hank Ebes acquired the painting for $36,000 and in 2007 National Gallery of Australia acquired the painting at the Sotheby's auction for a princely sum of $2.4 million. This returned Ebes more than 6,500% on his investment (1996-2007). Never mind, if CBA would have held to their $1,200 investment, it would have returned them 200,000% (1977-2007). Aboriginal art works are called the outstanding paintings of the 20th century and form a $700 million industry:

http://artbank.ch/art.html

With recent success in Bahrain and Musee du Quai Branly in Paris aboriginal art of Australia is a rather hot investment commodity.

If you want to travel outback in style, you may vi...

2008-08-21T14:59:00.000+09:30

If you want to travel outback in style, you may visit specialists; http://artbank.ch/travel.html

Canadian Inuit art has also been seeing record pri...

2008-07-08T06:28:00.000+09:30

Canadian Inuit art has also been seeing record prices at auctions but mainly for older pieces by deceased carvers. It's weird because from an artistic point of view, the older works are more primitive looking and not as polished as contemporary Inuit art pieces today.

But it's nice to see Australian aboriginal art get attention at auctions since this will only help out current artists and their works.

Same thing happened up here in Canada where thieve...

2008-07-08T06:25:00.000+09:30

Same thing happened up here in Canada where thieves broke into the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology and took some gold plated Bill Reid pieces. Bill Reid was one of the Canadian aboriginal art greats. It is feared that the thieves may have melted down the gold artifacts which would be a real shame.

Clint

Bonjour de Paris France!!I love Australia, Japan a...

2008-05-22T01:52:00.000+09:30

Bonjour de Paris France!!
I love Australia, Japan and aboriginal art....