introduction to aboriginal art spirituality and symbolism
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Introduction to Aboriginal ArtAboriginal Art
Spirituality and Symbolism
The Dreaming
• ‘The Dreaming’ refers to the time when Aboriginal ancestral spirits emerged from and inhabited earth.
• Ancestral beings came in both human and animal form, such as Lightning Men or the Rainbow Serpent.
Creation
• The Aboriginal people believe spirit journeys created the physical environment like, rivers, mountains and the stars.
• The spirits entrusted land, power, traditions and laws to the Aboriginal people.
Ancestral Spirits
• The spirits returned to the supernatural world below the earth, where their lives gave power to significant sites.
• The Aboriginal people can access the power of the ancestral beings through ceremony, song, ritual and art.
Symbols
• Artworks have symbols which tell stories that are passed down between generations.
• Individual people are connected to particular dreamings according to their family line.
• Different dreamings are associated with different places, so interpretation of these symbols are personal.
Maps and Journeys
• The art of the Aboriginal people can be viewed as an aerial ‘map’ of journeys across the land.
• They use symbols to represent significant sites or events in their art.
William SandyDingo Dreaming 1983
• This represents the extensive desert area of the Pitjantjatjara homelands
• The two large circles represent waterholes
• These footprints represent the journeys of the dingo ancestors
• The human footprints represent the major creation journey taken by two women from waterhole to waterhole across the desert
Painting Materials
• Traditionally bark, skin, stones, wood and cave walls were painted.
• Paint called ‘ochre’ was made by grinding rocks, clay, charcoal and dirt.
• Brushes were made from sticks, feathers or human hair.
• Modern Aboriginal artists also use canvas, paper, oil and acrylic paints.
Sally MorganMy Place 1986
• This modern image represents a journey and depicts the artists family history.
• It is outlined by a rainbow serpent to represent strength and unity.
X-Ray Style
• The x-ray style shows the inside and outside structure of its subject.
• Here we can see the ‘outside’ or the outline of the crocodile, as well as lines ‘inside’ or on its body.
Your Task
• Design an Aboriginal x-ray style aerial map.
• It should represent the journey you have or will take around the school today.
• Use symbols to represent significant places and join them together to tell a story.
Don’t forget your friends, the bus stop and where you have lunch!