Indigenous Australian Art and the Land-Toggle
The Australian aboriginal artworks—perceived as tangible are often considered as the representations of sacred mythologies of the past and the present times—a bridge that significantly links man and the concepts of the gods. In this regard, one of the significant approaches of connecting art and the land lies in consideration of the mythological maps of the landscape. This, therefore, reveals that the native people of American mainly relied on the use of the land in devising their artistic components (Mariet n.p; 71-73). For instance, the aboriginals would make clubs and shields that would be used for fighting from wood or rather would mould axes, chisels and adzes from the same. Besides, several of the aboriginal people relied on the use of paint to aid in enhancing their appearances. The paints were merely made from soil, revealing the connection between art and the land.
Yolngu— a people from NE Arnhem as established in the readings mainly relied on the development of acuity of vision that often seemed remarkable for the outsiders. This population group is capacitated with the ability to interpret the manner in which different visual representations below the surface can be reflected in varied, subtle representations of the surface forms. This, therefore, reveals that the intentions of the Yolngu paintings were not only established on the need to create illusionist representations of the elements of reality (Mariet n.p; 126-127). For instance, in drawing a painting of the sea, the Yolngu would not focus of draw their attention on the reproduction of the subtle modulations of colour but would resort to the identification of the hidden reefs that would be used in distinguishing the art form from the faint shadows of water and clouds.
Reference
Mariet Westermann (n.p). Ahtropologies of Art. Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute; Williamstown, Massachusetts; 120-130