Australian Aboriginal Art is truly an art form of huge importance. Robert Hughes is a prominent art critic and long time writer for Time Magazine and describes Aboriginal Art as the â€last great art movement’. Why this is such a noteworthy statement is due to Australian Aboriginal Art being amongst the oldest types of art in the world, and yet, commercially, it happens to be one of the newest styles. Ancient Rock Art in remote parts of Australia dates back approximately 30,000 to 40,000 years. However, as a saleable commodity, this form of art has only really been available since the 70’s. The unification of ancient custom and practice and the originality of Aboriginal Art emerging on the international art market, has produced a huge reaction through the art world as it is realized as a discovery that will never be seen again. Aboriginal Artists have in fact been offering their unique and special artwork since before the 1930’s, not yet known to the international market it remained contained within Australia given as gifts and small sales to people who happened to come in contact with Aboriginal people Most of the artworks made from these times were produced on bark. Canvas was not introduced to the Aborigines until the early 70's when Geoffrey Bardon, a graduate of the National Art School, took on a teaching job at Papunya, an isolated Aboriginal settlement 250 km west of Alice Springs. The Aborigines at Papunya would tell their stories by drawing pictures in the sand at the settlement. He persuaded young as old to do the same but to record it various materials, such as paper, the doors at the school and eventually canvas. Bardon worked alongside the Aboriginal painters and, in the early 70’s, the Papunya Tula painting movement was founded. Bardon dedicated many years of his life to recording and supporting the art he respected so much. He had an active role in setting up the art centre at Papunya and with and it is from here that the last great art movement began. The artistic movement emerged at Papunya and spread over Central Australia as well as the Kimberley region of Western Australia and throughout the north of Australia in Arnhem Land as well as the Tiwi Islands. This art-form is now recognized all over Australia, Aboriginal communities all over the country share their history and culture through art to anyone who might be interested. There is a huge difference within Aboriginal Art as geographical nature, the customs, traditions and history is so distinct from each other. Australian Aboriginal Art is now the premier art style within Australia and has become a major force within the art industry worldwide with artworks featured in many of the world’s leading galleries, auction houses and collections. Since its emergence commercially in the 70’s, Aboriginal Art has burst onto the international Art landscape. As demand rises and international art fanatics start to understand its unique history as one of the oldest and youngest styles of art at the same time, the realization that it just may be the last great art movement ever discovered is remarkable.
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