Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia

 This beautifully illustrated catalogue features important artworks produced by the First Peoples of Australia, from time immemorial to today. As suggested by the title, Ever Present shows the deep interconnections between past and present, as well as the extraordinary resilience and pride the First Peoples of Australia have shown in recent times. Grouped thematically to explore key aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and experience—such as ancestors and creators, country and constellation, community and family, culture and ceremony, trade and influence, and resistance and colonisation—the artworks also demonstrate a vast diversity of practice. The catalogue highlights critical issues of identity, dispossession and land rights, experiences of colonisation and resistance, as well as the continuing impact of structural racism: pressing concerns not only in Australia but globally today. This publication also draws out selected links connecting First Peoples art of Australia to the broader history of Southeast Asia.

This publication accompanies an exhibition of the same title presented by the National Gallery of Australia and Wesfarmers Arts, in collaboration with the National Gallery Singapore.

Publisher: National Gallery of Australia
Author Biography: Tina Baum
Language: English
Country of Origin: Australia
Page count: 248
Binding: Paperback
Search words: Australian art