Aboriginal Art

A Guide to Aboriginal Art: Meaning, Styles, Symbols, and Authentic Artworks

Let’s be clear. Aboriginal art is extraordinary. It’s the world’s oldest continuous art tradition, going back over 60,000 years. That number can be hard to grasp. If you're curious, you can learn more about the History of Aboriginal Art

What is Aboriginal Art?

Aboriginal art is made by Aboriginal people from Australia. It is not one style or culture. Before colonisation, there were over 250 languages spoken across the continent. Think of it more like Europe, with many different nations and traditions.

Aboriginal art isn’t what many expect, and it isn’t meant to be. Some works show stories from the Dreaming or the artist’s connection to Country. Others reflect parts of daily life, shaped by lived experience.

Aboriginal art is steeped in deep cultural knowledge. Unlike much of Western art, it’s not only about decoration or personal expression. Artists paint what they have the right to paint, often passed down through family or ceremony. You can read more about Aboriginal Art Regions to appreciate how diverse these traditions are.

What is the Dreaming?

In Aboriginal culture, the Dreaming explains how the world came to be. It is not a myth or religion in the Western sense. It is a full system of belief that covers creation, lore, ceremony, kinship, and Country. It shapes how people live and how they relate to each other and to the land.

Aboriginal art is often linked to the Dreaming. Artists paint stories passed down through family and ceremony. These stories are not chosen at random. They are shared with cultural knowledge and permission, and the artist has a direct connection to what they are painting.

Explore our in-depth guide to the The Dreaming and Dreamtime Stories

Are There Different Styles of Aboriginal Art?

Yes, Aboriginal art includes many different styles. These change depending on the region and culture. Some of the main styles include:

Dot Painting

Created mostly by desert artists, dot painting uses fine dots to show landforms, ceremonies, and Dreaming stories. The dots often hold layered meaning, and the works can resemble a map of Country. Learn more about Aboriginal Dot Painting and It's origins.

Bark Painting

Made in Arnhem Land using natural ochres on stringybark. These works often show ancestral beings and stories tied to clan identity. Learn more about Aboriginal Bark Painting

Rarrk

Rarrk is a fine crosshatching technique used by Aboriginal artists in northern Australia, especially in Arnhem Land. Each design connects to clan identity, Country, and sacred stories. Learn more about Rarrk

Weaving

Weaving traditions use bush fibres like pandanus and natural dyes. Artists make baskets, mats, and sculpture that connect to daily life and cultural practice. Discover Aboriginal Weavings from Arnhem Land

Hollow Logs: Larrakitj and Lorrkon

Used in mortuary ceremonies in Arnhem Land. These painted poles now carry stories, lore, and place into contemporary art spaces. Learn more about Hollow Logs

Rock Art

Found across the continent. The oldest known, carbon-dated example is 17,300 years old. These works show animals, people, ceremonies, and ancestral beings. Explore Aboriginal rock art

What Do the Symbols Mean in Aboriginal Art?

Aboriginal artworks often include symbols. These might look abstract, but they can show specific places, people, or stories. Think of the artwork like a topographical map, and the symbols as the map key. Once you learn the meanings, whole stories start to emerge. Learn more about Aboriginal Art Symbols and their meaning

Why Do Some Paintings Look Repetitive?

Aboriginal artists don’t usually paint freely from imagination. Most focus on one or two Dreaming stories they inherit as a birthright. These designs are repeated to uphold and celebrate cultural knowledge, connection to Country, and inherited responsibility. What might seem similar is often deeply specific, shaped by story, place, and kinship.

Who Can Create Aboriginal Art?

Only Aboriginal people can create Aboriginal art. But not all Aboriginal people can paint every story. Most artists paint stories they have inherited through family and ceremony. These rights are cultural, not personal choice. Even when artists paint the same Dreaming, their versions will be different depending on their place, family, and knowledge.

How Can You Explore Aboriginal Art?

You can scroll down to view over 300 authentic artworks, each sold in partnership with not-for-profit Aboriginal art centres. These centres are artist-run and publicly audited.