Aboriginal Art Blog
ART ARK®

In the beating heart of Australia's Red Centre, Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists blooms like a wild desert flower, offering a unique sanctuary for Indigenous artists with disabilities.

Located in the heart of Sydney, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative was established in 1987. This dynamic co-operative has become a cornerstone of the Aboriginal art community, providing a platform for Indigenous artists from urban areas and regional New South Wales to showcase their unique talents and perspectives.

Durrmu Arts is particularly noted for its distinctive style of artwork, which sets it apart. The centre specialises in transferring the designs from traditional weavings and durrmu (dot body painting) designs onto canvas, showcasing the traditional techniques and patterns of the Peppimenarti community.

Located in the bustling town of Kununurra, Waringarri Arts Aboriginal art center is a sanctuary where the ancient artistic traditions of the Miriwoong people are preserved, celebrated, and reimagined for contemporary audiences.

In a historic moment for Australian First Nations art, the mesmerising painting "Untitled (Alhalker)" by the esteemed Aboriginal artist Emily Kam Kngwarray reached an impressive sale price of £635,000 (including Buyer's Premium) at Sotheby's Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Auction in London. The event, held on a prestigious night, saw Emily's work showcased alongside masterpieces by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, and Barbara Hepworth.

The Badu Art Centre artists draw inspiration from their profound connection to their ancestral lands and the rich marine environment. The waters surrounding Badu Island are teeming with life, providing both sustenance and artistic inspiration for the local community. The artists at the centre skilfully capture the essence of their environment, weaving stories of the sea, sky, and land into their art.

The Rainbow Serpent is a powerful Dreamtime Story. Rooted in the cultural beliefs and mythologies of Australian Aboriginal groups, this ancient narrative weaves together the forces of creation, nature, and spiritual wisdom. Aboriginal artists have played a crucial role in capturing the essence of the Rainbow Serpent through their artworks.

The Aboriginal Art centre, Anindilyakwa Arts is a thriving hub of creativity located on the Groote Eylandt archipelago in Australia's Northern Territory. This Aboriginal Art centre is the cultural heartbeat of the community, a place where the ancient artistic traditions of the Anindilyakwa people are not only preserved but are thriving in contemporary forms.

As ART ARK is proudly based in Launceston, Tasmania, we believe it's important to share with you some contextual history that you may not know. Tasmania's past is rich and complex, marked by significant events that have shaped the island's cultural and social landscape. One such period is the Black Wars, a series of intense conflicts that took place in the early 19th century between the Indigenous Tasmanian population, known collectively as the Palawa people, and European settlers. Understanding this history is crucial for appreciating the depth of Tasmania's heritage and the resilience of its people.

The term "Stolen Generations" painfully marks a dark era in Australia where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were systematically and forcibly taken from their families by state policies, stretching from the 1910s until the 1970s. Historical estimates indicate that during this era, up to one-third of Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their parents and communities.