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Product Description
Aboriginal art has survived the colonial period to become a major feature of contemporary Australian society. This book surveys the great variety in Aboriginal art, from ancient rock paintings to powerful modern works in acrylic on canvas. The patterns and symbols of Aboriginal art, though they may at first appear abstract, are laden with meaning. Morphy explains the social contexts in which art is made and its religious significance. The book uses a contextual approach to show the interrelationships between such diverse art forms as body painting, dance, the decoration of weapons and utensils, and painting on bark, board and canvas. The text is illustrated with outstanding examples, many published here for the first time. Today, Aboriginal art is seen as an expression of Aboriginal history, culture and identity. This text explains why its international audience is growing.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is compiled with superb research and is very easy to read. The index highlights every section making it an excellent reference book. The images are allocated accordingly and they are of an excellent quality. Each chapter is filled with very interesting information and I would recommend this as a must for anyone wanting to read about the subject.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
this is a very well presented book, the pictures are in amazing quality and morphy takes you through the place or art in aboriginl culture.
i recently used the book as part of my anthrology degree and it saved me.
i recently used the book as part of my anthrology degree and it saved me.
a useful clear book.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I received this book around the same time as "Rock Art of the Dreamtime" by Josephine Flood and the two could not be more different: both are excellent but Flood is an archeologist whose book covers only the very earliest rock art from tens of thousands of years ago whereas Morphy is an art historian who focuses on more modern times, bringing out common themes and also highlighting regional diversity, with a nod to the past and to possible ancient interpretations in the form of a couple of chapters.
Although I am more interested in "pre"history, this book was equally interesting. Morphy concentrates on two-dimensional works but includes some sculpture, weapons and a variety of other art forms, fascinatingly placing them in the context of changing Western attitudes. For instance, he writes "a true clash of cultures occurred: an opposition between the Australian perception and the Western conception of art, with its emphasis on the finished work, the collectable form and the independence of that form from the context of its production.
By contrast, for much Aboriginal art, the act of production was as important as the finished object. Art represented the appearance of ancestral forces in ritual contexts: imminent, transitory, effective in achieving a particular purpose and then discarded, hidden or destroyed" (sometimes within hours, often within days). A true clash of cultures...
Yet, as "Aborigine Dreaming" by an authority on Aborigine culture explains, to see their works solely as art is to diminish their importance to Aborigines. They are more like altar pieces, meditational aids, numinous icons. Their art is a ritual encounter with the Dreaming. It is a pity that this book, along with many others, is not really able to address this aspect.
However, apart from this (major) aspect, Morphy knows and loves his field and it shows on every page. The book is only the size of a normal paperback although quick thick (over 400 pages); it is lavishly illustrated in colour although I think the photos deserved to be given a much larger, coffee-table book type of presentation, hence only 4 stars.
Although I am more interested in "pre"history, this book was equally interesting. Morphy concentrates on two-dimensional works but includes some sculpture, weapons and a variety of other art forms, fascinatingly placing them in the context of changing Western attitudes. For instance, he writes "a true clash of cultures occurred: an opposition between the Australian perception and the Western conception of art, with its emphasis on the finished work, the collectable form and the independence of that form from the context of its production.
By contrast, for much Aboriginal art, the act of production was as important as the finished object. Art represented the appearance of ancestral forces in ritual contexts: imminent, transitory, effective in achieving a particular purpose and then discarded, hidden or destroyed" (sometimes within hours, often within days). A true clash of cultures...
Yet, as "Aborigine Dreaming" by an authority on Aborigine culture explains, to see their works solely as art is to diminish their importance to Aborigines. They are more like altar pieces, meditational aids, numinous icons. Their art is a ritual encounter with the Dreaming. It is a pity that this book, along with many others, is not really able to address this aspect.
However, apart from this (major) aspect, Morphy knows and loves his field and it shows on every page. The book is only the size of a normal paperback although quick thick (over 400 pages); it is lavishly illustrated in colour although I think the photos deserved to be given a much larger, coffee-table book type of presentation, hence only 4 stars.
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