Week One

being the first week we had an overview at this point i'm not sure exactly what to expect out of this course, I feel i have a strong appreciation for aboriginal art although i have had a limited contact with it. My upbringing in country SA meant that i've had (i think) more contact with aboriginal art than some of my fellow students. At the primary school i went to there was a large number of aboriginal students and there was an emphasis on sharing their culture with the rest of the students i do recall days dedicated to aboriginal culture including demonstrations of dancing and music. One strong memory is that of a traditional Aboriginal dwelling being erected as a permanent structure in the yard then we were all given damper to try. This might not seem like a big deal now but as a very young person at the age of maybe 6 or 7 this was a very positive memory of being introduced to another culture. I was always interested in art and occasionally visited the local art gallery which usually had some form of aboriginal art displayed, by local people. From there my only real contact since has been in the Art gallery of South Australia and their permanent collection of indigenous art. Although i was surprised to note that on a holiday in Byron Bay visited several small galleries that displayed only indigenous art obviously aim at the tourist market.

i realise that traditionally indigenous art uses common design and i understand that these designs have meaning it would be good to better understand the meaning behind these works and maybe gain an appreciation beyond the superficial visual allure of aboriginal art.