Art in Australia: From Colonization to Postmodernism

World of Art

by Christopher Allen

Does Australian art have a history or is it just a series of belated footnotes to European and American artistic development in the last two centuries? Does it always express some essential "Australian sensibility"? Christopher Allen's book argues that Australian art does have a history of its own from the beginning, not because of an inherent "Australianness," but because of the objective conditions of a society transplanted to a remote and strange place. Artists brought with them current European styles, but everything acquired a subtly different meaning in this new setting, as old resources were applied to new problems. The starting point of Australian art history, as of Australian history in general, is the question of inhabiting a new continent. From the colonist trying to form an image of home in a foreign landscape to the postmodernist discovering in Australia the epitome of a homeless condition, it has rarely been absent from the most important art.

Genres: Art

224 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1997

Reviews

[Barry Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice overview of Australian art from the landing of Cook up to the 1990s. Allen does give a mostly impartial view but is quite prone to fits of personal criticism, especially when his timeline reaches the mid-20th century (as can be seen in a small tirade against Brett Whiteley). Apart from that however, this would be the book I would shove into the hands of anyone wanting to know anything about Aussie art.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allen writes clearly and critically and provides context, positioning Australia in the global conversation of visual art.