EXTERNAL TEXT SOURCE:

Subject: Introduction to Aboriginal art and traditional practices.

Ref: http://www.webnet.com.au/koori/artpage1.html> http://

KOORI ART

Traditionally, art was strictly and hierarchically controlled within a conservative religious framework. Today, many Aboriginal artistic traditions have effloresced, though the design motifs, artistic techniques and media used have frequently altered. The incorporation of introduced elements is evident in the acrylic "dot" painting of the Western District, the batiks from Utopia and Bathurst Island, the textile prints from numerous communities, carvings from eastern Arnham Land and the Tiwi, and watercolour paintings. A great deal of this art makes statements with important religious, political and regional content. Artistic expression is still closely linked to the rights of individuals to communicate information about particular tracts of land and the sites and stories associated with them. In recent years the Western art world has enthusiastically acclaimed the vibrant art works and diverse styles emerging at many Aboriginal Communities. A recent Commonwealth Government review of the Aboriginal arts and crafts industry found that one in every seven Aboriginal adults in the Northern Territory is a productive artist who has sold some work. This is a testimony to the dynamism and durability of Aboriginal cultures as expressed through marketed art.