Challenging the current state and trends of Aboriginal artwork within the contemporary art market, Australian artist and activist Richard Bell produced a painting titled “Aboriginal Art – It’s a White Thing” (2003) to express his angst and distain towards the commercialisation, commodification and institutionalisation of Aboriginal art. While controversial, Bell’s artwork openly portrayed the ethnocentric values forced upon Aboriginal art by the “fine arts” and contemporary art markets. This essay will discuss how Western influences have affected the production and commercialisation of Aboriginal art within the contemporary art market as well as the commodification of Aboriginal art for tourism and Australian advertising.
Arguing against the
…show more content…
There is, however, an industry that caters for Aboriginal art.” A source of great discomfort for Bell, the lack of involvement by Aboriginal artists in the financial and marketing process of the contemporary market provides multiple opportunities for Western dealers to control the profits and marketing of others works. Bell argues that it is imperative for non-Indigenous viewers to “recognise that the paintings are not just beautiful pictures. They are about Aboriginal law. Aboriginal life”. The dominant role played by Western institutions is further explored in Bell’s …show more content…
Bell (2003) notes that, “while Aboriginal people produce the artworks, it is non-Aboriginal people who define and control the market.” In a later statement, he adds, “White people say what’s good. White people say what’s bad. White people buy it. White people sell it.”
The commercialisation of Indigenous art has categorised itself into a niche market. This niche market is affected by persisting problems including, most of the art is no longer controlled by Indigenous people and how the diminishing value of actual Aboriginal artworks is further degraded by the mass production of commodities made to drive tourism in Australia.
Despite the emergence of Aboriginal art onto the international market from the 1980s, the subsequent expansion of the art form has brought many obstructions to the development of its foundation within the contemporary market. Challenging both cultural and economic forces, Aboriginal art as expressed though Bell’s “It’s a White Thing”, has become an art form governed by the jurisdiction of the Western anthropologists and art
This proposes that Watson is bestowing the audience with an exploration of the world she personally connects with. Whereas, with the usage of natural materials and the positioning of them this also creates a representation of fragility and temporariness, once again suggesting that what is depicted is fugitive, reminding all of us about the beauty and delicacy of the environment. Something that stands out about this piece is the cotton tree leaves that have been used, they have been marked with intricate patterns consisting of both lines and dots. The markings symbolise traditional ceremonies held by Indigenous Australians who make scars on their skin, demonstrating that Watson has used the cotton tree leaves metaphorically to represent the scarring Indigenous Australians have faced from
Throughout this analysis we will take a critical look at the aboriginal identity, the suffering these people go through mentally and physically, and their relationship with the government (Anzovino & Boutilier 2015). The
Smith continues his pattern of strong emotive language whilst depicting the poor and inhumane treatment of the Aboriginals and how in accordance to the newly aquatinted British laws and customs, they were “for the most part, invisible and discounted”. Statements such as these are used to position the reader to feel sympathy towards the Aboriginals as they come to terms with the full extend of the hardship and discord faced by them. Moreover, adding to the understanding of how tirelessly throughout history and continuing today, they have fought to obtain rights equal to those of a white Australian. Smith then continues by appealing to the readers sense of sustainability. By recounting how the Aboriginals “nurtured” and “preserved” Australia and how the life of modern Australian isn’t sustainable, and how we, should seek guidance and assistance from the Aboriginals.
The repatriation of indigenous remains in Australia is the process by which human remains are returned to their ancestral communities from museums or private collections. The aim of this essay is to critically assess the arguments within the article written by Dr Denis Byrne titled The Ethos of Return: Erasure and Reinstatement of Aboriginal Visibility in the Australian Historical Landscape. Repatriation and visibility are two serious topics debated between archaeologists, historians, and Indigenous people. The importance of scientific research and understanding is weighed heavily against the desire of Indigenous people to return their ancestors remains to their source communities. This essay critically assesses both the arguments within the
The history of Aboriginal alienation was an important context that assisted Silvey in the making of his novel, and furthermore establishing a successful play. The year 2009 was an influential year for Aboriginal’s rights. After twenty years of negotiation, the United Nations
THE MONTHLY Nowra’s leap “Into that Forest”: Representing Indigenous Perspectives in Australian Literature Do non-Indigenous authours have the authority to write from Indigenous perspectives? Joshua D’Souza evaluates Nowra’s empowering tale ‘Into that Forest’ and his courageous leap into the world of realism. What is it like to witness your culture, your heritage, your native identity misrepresented for Australia to see? Ask Aboriginal Australians, and they will tell you a thing, or two about being ignored.
In fact, photographic portrayals of first nation peoples were not absent from the Boundary Commission’s archives. One photograph in particular showed aboriginal peoples bowing their heads looking as though they were mourning. This symbolizes and depicts first nations as a vanishing culture (Carol Payne 314). An aboriginal man named George Littlechild recontextualized historic photos taken by governmental and religious organizations of aboriginal people (Carol Payne 314/315). He was part of the ‘sixties scoop’, a group of aboriginal children who were taken from their birthplaces and placed in non-aboriginal foster families.
You tell me, and I won’t put it down on the form, No-one will know but you and me”. It’s obvious that the author, Thomas King, is trying to make awareness about the treatment of Aboriginals are facing in
The descriptive language, “cheap, exotic food” even tries to ridicule the cultural food which migrants were expected to prepare for the Australians. “Cheap, exotic food” is a connotation for unsatisfactory food. “Feed the mainstream”, hints that regardless of a migrant’s new identity, they were still considered as different from the majority. The quote, “We’ve given you opportunity for family reunion, equality, and status, though your colour could be wrong” uses racial imagery to create a picture in the audience’s mind of the “incorrect” coloured Australians. This statement maintains the concept of migrants never being able to be fully considered Australian.
Headline: - The film Samson Delilah has extreme violence and distressing images, yet is the most realistic representation of an indigenous Australian group Bi-Line: - Introduction: - In 2009, Warwick Thornton created one of the most significant and memorable films in Australia’s history. Based in the towns of Alice Springs and Santa-Terisa, we follow the struggle of two Indigenous trying to find a direction in life. The imagery the two actors, Rowan McNamara (Samson) and Marissa Gibson (Delilah) embody, are that of racism, abandonment and vexation. But seemingly through hardships of being the forgotten, abandoned, and racially excluded they only have the love of each to count on and make it through the day. Body 1 (forgotten)
Created Through the Eye Why do we all have different interpretations of art? Because we all are different in some way, our identity defines us and how we look at the world while our actions shape us and world around us. The works of Wenda Gu and Gordon Bennett both reflect aspects of their identity, whether that be personal, spiritual, cultural or psychological. Both artist are similar in many ways, notably for their reflection on personal experiences as cultural minorities. Gordon Bennett successfully portrays his personal experiences as well as the cultural influences in his artworks.
The art world is perpetually sexist and racists, and curators are key to changing the masses view on art history and contemporary art voices through representation and inclusion. In order to offer up a more just and fair representation of global artistic production, mainstream (non-activist) curators need to re-envision/re-write their definitions of "greatness" to include non-whites, non-westerners, the under-privileged, and women. In Maura Reilly's essay, Taking the Measure of Sexism: Facts, Figures, and Fixes, Reilly fixates on the differences between men and women in the art world and how little has changed in the art world for women, despite decades of feminist activists. Better does not mean equal.
Cultural Appropriation is the adoption of elements used by one culture by members of another dominating culture. Cultural hegemony is the mechanism which drives this appropriation, as it enhances the manipulation of society through stereotypes; whereby, people are made to believe in certain values and perceptions. Our society is controlled through a white western culture, it exploits products, fashion and rituals from the less privileged groups, such as black Africans, Native Indians, Asians and the indigenous people. Therefore, this essay will evaluate how Cultural Appropriation, through the manipulation of cultural hegemony, is used by artists and designers, to make statements that oppose or support dominant ideologies based on ethnic groups. Cultural Appropriation allows for the robberies of cultures.
Cultural appropriation has been a controversial topic following the accusation of numerous celebrities of appropriation. The debate surrounding the ethics and the role of using a culture outside of one’s culture is very well present in the artistic community, including among the fiction writers. Traditionally, fiction writers have taken aspects of a foreign culture to create characters and narratives. However, recent incidents, such as when J.K Rowling was accused of appropriating on Navajo narratives about skinwalkers in May 2016, has incited an argument between writers on whether writer should be allowed to use narratives borrowed from other cultures. This essay will discuss the problem of cultural appropriation in fiction, especially of the native communities in Australia, by examining both perspectives and suggest of a realistic solution to reach an agreement.
Introduction Mining is the backbone of the Australian economy. This essay contains two parts where demonstrate Australian mining industry’s current status and its positive and negative impacts on Aboriginal communities relating to Aboriginal history and issues with real examples. Also analyze the relational art and design relating to the Tarnanthi Festive and sponsorship of BHP Billiton to the event. Australian Mining Industry Australia is in the period of mineral and energy development and has experienced a series of mining development over the years with the features of mining investment and substantial increase in mining output. Australian mining industry began at the end of the 18th century with the founding of coal, and boomed and depressed