Everywhen: The Eternal Present in Indigenous Art from Australia

by Daniel Kirby (Contributor), Georgina Rayner, Stephen Gilchrist (Editor)

Indigenous concepts of time play a critical role in the works of many contemporary Australian artists. The Eternal Present in Indigenous Art from Australia showcases prime examples, featuring many works of art that have never before been exhibited outside Australia. The book provides a cultural framework to help understand these objects, emphasizing the importance of the land, the rich narratives that cleave to it, and the art it inspires. It is organized around four central ancestral transformation, ritualized performance, seasonality, and remembrance. essays and nearly seventy catalogue entries highlight many of the most significant Indigenous Australian artists of the last forty years, from Rover Thomas and Emily Kam Kngwarray (both former representatives at the Venice Biennale) to the contemporary bark painter John Mawurndjul and the visual and performance artist Christian Thompson. Also included are examples of related historical objects and a technical examination of traditional Aboriginal bark paintings. This revelatory book introduces the thematic, stylistic, and cultural diversity of contemporary Indigenous art from Australia to a wider audience.
 

Distributed for the Harvard Art Museums

Exhibition Harvard Art Museums
(02/05/16–09/18/16)

228 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2016

Reviews

[Amanda Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that really does an excellent job of giving a more nuanced overview of Indigenous art and (for want of a better term) 'world view'.

I want to write more about this, but I risk misrepresenting my true feelings as my words get all wrapped up in tricky language.

Suffice to say - wonderful book that gave me more insight than I knew was available. My respect and appreciation for Indigenous Art, and for Indigenous culture was affirmed and renewed.