21 April - 31 October 2010 Aboriginal art today! Exploring contemporary Aboriginal art from 1970 until now.
Aboriginal art today! provides those who are keen to know more about this young and dynamic art movement a fascinating overview of the evolution of contemporary Aboriginal art from around 1970 right up to the most recent developments. The various regions and art centres are explored in detail, against a backdrop of historical events which played a crucial role in the development of contemporary Aboriginal art.
The exhibition is particularly significant as all the work featured comes from Dutch collections. Besides the museum collection of AAMU, these include the collections of Aboriginal art of the Groninger Museum, the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, the University Museum Groningen and the Nijmeegs Volkenkundig Museum, which have been loaned to the museum on a long-term basis. AAMU also has access to various private collections. This is the first time that key works from all of these collections have been brough together in one exhibition.
Artists in the exhibition
This exhibition will of course feature those artists who have grown to become icons of Australian Aboriginal art. One of these great names is Emily Kame Kngwarrey, who represented Australia posthumously at the 1997 Venice Biennale. John Mawurndjul received international acclaim for his imposing tree bark paintings. Rover Thomas, from the Kimberley, broke away from traditions with his innovative style of painting. Together with Trevor Nickolls he was the first Aboriginal artist to exhibiti at the Venice Biennale in 1990.
Michael Riley was a photographer and filmmaker and co-founcer of the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative that gave an important boost to the development of contemporary Aboriginal art in the 1990s. Wakartu Cory Surprise is an artist who is making waves at the moment. She was a prize winner at the Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards; her work Pitmarlu (2009) has recently been added to the AAMU collection.
Publication of the new museum catalogue
A new, richly illustrated museum catalogue entitled Contemporary Aboriginal Art. Dutch Collections at AAMU is released simultaneously with the opening of this exhibition. Published in cooperation with Snoeck Publishers, it is available in the museum shop and in bookstores. ISBN 978-90-5349-788-3 (€ 34).
Aboriginal art today! and the publication of the museum catalogue are supported by:
SNS Reaal Fonds
Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds
Queensland Government www.indigenousarts.qld.gov.au
