Aboriginal Art - Which Way Up?
While some Aboriginal artworks, particularly figurative or landscape-oriented pieces, may have a defined top—sometimes noted on the back by the artist—many works defy conventional orientation.
Aboriginal art often challenges Western expectations of perspective and representation. Unlike European traditions, which typically feature a fixed top and bottom, Aboriginal paintings invite the viewer to experience the artwork from multiple angles. These works are often painted from all sides, allowing for a continuous, unrestricted engagement with the piece. This approach reflects a deeply rooted cultural understanding of place, space, and narrative that transcends singular viewpoints.
The Dreaming stories, which form the foundation of much Aboriginal art, are rarely literal in their depictions. Instead, they offer a multi-layered interpretation of both the physical and spiritual landscapes. The term “topographical” may be a useful way to describe this abstraction, as the artwork often conveys a sense of mapping—though not in the cartographic sense of lines and borders. Rather, the paintings depict sacred sites, country, and elements of the natural world in a symbolic, non-linear manner. In some cases, what is represented could be a location, but its significance extends beyond geography to encompass the spiritual dimensions of the land.
These works invite the viewer to engage not only with the visual aspect but with the narrative embedded in them. Aboriginal art offers multiple perspectives at once, reflecting the understanding that a site, a story, or an experience can be viewed from any direction in the landscape. The place depicted in a painting is not confined to a static view; it can be interpreted differently depending on where one stands, both physically and spiritually. This capacity to hold multiple meanings and vantage points is what makes Aboriginal art so deeply connected to the land and to the broader cosmology of Indigenous culture.
In essence, these works are more than visual records; they are dynamic interpretations of the world, allowing each viewer to connect to the land and story from their unique position. This fluidity in perspective is a hallmark of Aboriginal art and is emblematic of the broader cultural frameworks that inform its creation.