A Trip Around the World Art Appreciation 2014 - 2015 April 2015 Australia

Art Appreciation - A Trip Around the World 7th Stop: AUSTRALIA #4: Russia Charlotte, NC Mediterranean Sea #3: Mediterranean #5: China #6: India #2: Africa #1: Latin America #7: Australia 2

Australian Art Aboriginal Art Original inhabitants of Australia can be traced back 45,000 years and are called Aborigines Aboriginal culture is credited with the oldest unbroken tradition of art in the world Lacking a written language, the Aborigines used art and oral story to pass on their heritage; cave, rock, and bark painting are common Aboriginal cave and rock paintings over 28,000 years old survive in Australia and are are still being produced today Bradshaw Rock Paintings Kimberly Region, Western Australia

Australian Art Aboriginal Art Aboriginal culture is based on great respect for the land “The Dreamtime” or “The Dreaming” explains how Aborigines believe the land was created; it also explains how all natural forces (weather, plants, people) came into existence and are fundamentally connected to the land This bark painting likely represents a being from the Dreaming, the time when Aborigines believe the prehistoric ancestors of birds and animals walked the earth in human, or human-like, forms Bark Painting, c1940s-1950s Bryyinyuwuy (possibly) Paint on Bark MET Museum, New York

Australian Art Aboriginal Art Aboriginal art on canvas began only 40 years ago; international popularity has since skyrocketed Aboriginal Art consists of symbols used as a means of communication about rituals, food, customs and beliefs These works are almost always ceremonial or religious Old Man’s Fighting Dreaming, 1971 Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula  Synthetic polymer paint on composition board National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Contemporary Aboriginal Art

Australian Art Colonial Art The British began to settle in Australia in 1788 Art was used to show the unique Australian plants, animals & topography to the curious back home (natural history painting) When paintings such as this one arrived in Europe, many believed such animals could not exist; the platypus was widely considered to be a hoax Platypus, 1808 John Lewin Watercolor & gouache drawing State Library of New South Wales

Australian Art Colonial Art Beginning in 1851 a gold rush brought many more Europeans to Australia Demand for landscape paintings to decorate homes of newly-rich settlers drove the art market WC Piguenit was widely considered to be the leading Australian born landscape painter of the 19th century He often accompanied exploration teams to get inspiration for his landscapes Hawkesbury River with Figures in Boat : On the Nepean, 1881 William Charles Piguenit Oil on canvas National Gallery of Australia The Flood in the Darling, 1890 William Charles Piguenit Oil on canvas National Gallery of Australia

Australian Art Colonial Art Shearing the Rams, 1890 Tom Roberts Oil on canvas National Gallery of Victoria By the 1890’s most Australians lived in cities; pictures such as this one were popular as they reminisced about the recent past and time spend conquering the land This is one of the most well-known and loved paintings in Australia; it has been described as a "masterpiece of Australian impressionism”

Australian Art Architecture – Sydney Opera House Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, winner of an international design competition in 1957 Expressionist style of architecture – architect desires to express emotion in the design; often using freeform curves and faceted planes Utzon resigned as architect during construction due to political pressure; the building was completed 10 years behind schedule and 14 times over budget Utzon received the Pritzker Architecture Prize, architecture's highest honor, in 2003 for his Sydney Opera House design

Australian Art Architecture – Sydney Opera House Preliminary sketch by Jørn Utzon, 1960 The “shells” on the roof are often used as giant projector screens The building has 1000 rooms; each of its 15,500 light bulbs is changed annually

Art Appreciation - A Trip Around the World Next Stop: Charlotte #4: Russia Charlotte, NC Mediterranean Sea #3: Mediterranean #5: China #6: India #2: Africa #1: Latin America #7: Australia 11