| Australian Aboriginal art is said to be the one of the oldest living art tradition in the world. It is a significant daily practice of Australian Aborigines and is closely connected with the Aboriginal culture. Land is a major theme in Australian Aboriginal art. It holds unique meanings for the Aboriginal society and culture. Land in the Aboriginal art reflects the traditions and developments of Aboriginal society and culture in various aspects.From the historical perspective, land is significant in Aboriginal life and society; while from the spiritual perspective, land is in the centre of the "dreaming", which is the core of the Aborigines'religious and spiritual life. Land is also a motif depicted in almost all Aboriginal art works. In the art, land is presented in various art forms with bountiful symbolism. The representation in glamorous colouration and aesthetics reveals the continuance and evolution of Australian Aboriginal culture.After the 1970s, the Australian Aboriginal art has drawn increasing attention from the world. As a traditional art, it also shows great vigour and innovation. The paper explores the relation among land, art and culture. It elaborates on the three major regions with Australian Aboriginal art accessible today, namely the northern country, Western Australia and the desert areas, to research on the cultural connotations unveiled in the representation and development of land in Aboriginal art with the rising art movement in the recent decades. |
