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Aboriginalpaintings.dk |
Methodology |
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Our Method of Working |
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Aboriginal art comes in many shapes and forms. Not only because individual artists have their own specific style, but also because one cannot speak of “one Aboriginal people”. Instead, the Australian continent, before the days of colonization, was divided into hundreds of pieces of land, each maintained by a different Aboriginal language group, which were further subdivided into clan groups. Each of these regions had their own language and dialects, and linguists have asserted that approximately 200-250 languages were spoken. The language of clan groups bordering on your region could be as different from yours as English from Danish. Not surprisingly, the art forms that emerged from those different regions were very distinct and diverse as well. For us, with our keen interest but still quite embryonic knowledge of Aboriginal art, this means that we for now concentrate on the areas we are familiar with through our research work – Arnhem Land and the Kimberleys, both in the tropical north. We visit art centres in remote areas and so often get in touch with the artists themselves. We believe their stories are a crucial element in the appreciation of their works. Another way is to buy from well-established galleries that are known for their ethical standards, so as to be sure that the artists get a fair share of the profits. With the works we sell, we provide labels of authenticity including a profile of the artist.
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Boy with stingray. Click here for pictures of Australia and our fieldwork
There is a map available, produced by AIATSIS, displaying the amazing number of language groups present in Australia before European colonisation. You can find it at their site.
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