Indigenous Australian masterworks exhibited at NGMA
"Indigenous Australia: Masterworks from National Gallery of Australia" is a joint venture of the NGMA and The National Gallery of Australia and features historical and contemporary works by island continent s aboriginal people.
The works ranging from paintings prints and photographs to sculptures and installations reveal a great diversity of artistic styles and their recent developments NGMA Director General Adwaita Charan Garanayak said in a statement.
According to the exhibition s curator Franchesca Cubilio aboriginal art emanates from the iconography around sacred sites ancestors and mythology and also pointed out the "diversity in aesthetic and style" that these works have.
The contemporary art brings forth and reveals around the themes of "identity politics racism and people s connection with their land" Cubilio added.
The masterworks dating from late 1800s to today include paintings on canvas as well as tree barks using natural early pigments.
"From rare historical drawings to the dynamic Desert painting movement to contemporary urban Aboriginal art these works are a testament to the expertise rich cultural knowledge and ingenuity of their creators " NGA Director Gerard Vaughan said in a statement.
Their (aboriginals) designs patterns and stories are reinforced and replicated through ritual dance song body painting rock engravings and paintings and through domestic and ritual objects he added.
The exhibition was jointly inaugurated by Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu India s Culture Secretary Raghavendra Singh NGMA Director General Garanayak and NGA Deputy Director Kristen Paisley.
Sidhu also announced that "Australia Fest" aimed at showcasing Australian culture and creativity across India would be held in September.
"Indigenous Australia: Masterworks from National Gallery of Australia" is open for public viewing at NGMA here from June 16-August 26.
--IANS sj/vd
