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| Dreaming Their Way: Australian Aboriginal Women Painters | |
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 WASHINGTON—Dreaming Their Way: Australian Aboriginal Women Painters is a ground-breaking exhibition of art by 33 indigenous female artists from across the Australian continent. The first-ever of its kind in the U.S., the exhibition presents almost 80 works of art, from intensely colorful canvases to intricate bark paintings, all demonstrating the women’s bold and often experimental representations of their heritage. Works from renowned artists such as Dorothy Napangardi and the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye, as well as emerging painters such as Abie Loy and Regina Wilson will be showcased in this exhibition. From the arid desert regions of the central terrain to the plush tropical landscapes of the north, Dreaming Their Way illustrates the variety of Aboriginal artistic styles and the diversity of the land which ultimately inspires these pieces. This exhibition also gives insight into the separated gender spheres that still exist in Aboriginal societies, and highlights the important contributions female artists bring to this unique contemporary art. Linked to the spiritual realm, Australian Aboriginal art is rooted in ancient stories—or Dreamings—as well as each artist’s deep connection to the land. Simply interpreted, the Dreaming, is the period of creation when the land and life upon it were created by spiritual ancestors who also gave birth to humans, and established the moral code known as the Law. For thousands of years, Dreamings were ceremoniously communicated through painting, dance, storytelling, and other artistic expressions, creating a strong, living bond between Aboriginal people and their homeland. Rendered mostly on ephemeral material, these sacred images were intended for private, initiated eyes. Over the last 30 years, however, one of the most exciting developments in the international art world materialized. While artists in the northern part of the continent have been painting with natural ochres for audiences outside of their culture since the early part of the 20th century, in central Australia it has been a more recent development. In 1971, at Papunya in the desert of central Australia, a non-indigenous teacher named Geoffrey Bardon encouraged community elders to use boards and acrylics to represent Dreaming designs that had previously been used in ceremonial contexts with ephemeral materials. Today a network of art-producing communities crosses the country’s vast expanse. Painting was initially a male occupation in a society in which the roles and responsibilities of men and women are clearly separated, however, in the 1960s women started painting in northern Australia. Two decades later women painters in the desert began creating their own work. Over the last decade women artists have begun to receive greater attention than their male counterparts and are often the financial support for their families and communities. In fact, women have become major figures in Australia’s contemporary art scene and in the global art market. At the 1997 Venice Biennale, the three artists chosen to represent Australia were all Aboriginal women. In 2005, the winners in all five categories of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA)—the most prestigious Aboriginal art award—were women. This marked the first time in the 22-year history of the awards that the entire field of winners comprised one gender. Through their art, Aboriginal women express their relationships to their country, their understandings of the world and how it came into being, and their responsibilities for maintaining and reproducing their culture. While it remains difficult to generalize about Aboriginal art, similarities in palette, dotting styles, use of symbols, and themes are recognizable in certain geographic areas. In addition, many artists have developed distinctive personal styles. What distinguishes Australian Aboriginal art from other contemporary work is its basis in ancient tradition and the artists’ relationship to the land. In their depiction of Dreamings, artists are stating their position in the world using a prescribed repertoire of imagery. Within these well-defined limits, women artists have become resourceful and imaginative in creating new ways to represent their peoples’ ancient stories. Organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), the exhibition is comprised of works from major collections in Australia as well as significant public and private collections in the United States. Dreaming Their Way: Australian Aboriginal Women Painters is curated by Britta Konau, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, NMWA, in collaboration with Margo W. Smith, Director and Curator of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. The exhibition will travel to the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. (October 7 through December 10). A full color, illustrated catalogue is available for purchase with essays by Britta Konau, Margo W. Smith and Brian P. Kennedy, Director of the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, and former Director of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. The catalogue which retails for $29.95 also includes statements by and biographies of the artists. Photo:Emily Kame Kngwarreye Anooralya, 1995 Acrylic on canvas 59 4/5 x 48 in. Seattle Art Museum Gift of Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan © 2006 ARS/ VISCOPY Photo: Paul Macapia About the Women’s Museum Exhibition Sponsorship |
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|  For images, interviews, and more information, contact Michelle Cragle or media@nmwa.org or call 202.783.7373 |