Aboriginal Art in America

As a collective, Boomalli helped to promote the idea of urban Aboriginal art. However, the ten artists had distinctive artistic and personal identities. The work in this exhibition cuts across multiple generations, sexual orientations, and language groups to defy both cultural and artistic expectations. The inclusive environment of Boomalli created a space for these identities to intersect. The spark lit by the founding members of Boomalli transformed what Aboriginal art could be, igniting a movement that spread across Australia.

New Series alert! 

Human figures, stenciled hands, and ancestral beings gather on the surface of this painting in a dynamic circle of ceremonial activity. Thompson Yulidjirri’s _Ngurlmarrk—The Ubarr Ceremony _is a work on paper crafted by the late artist as part of the John W. Kluge Commission of works on paper in 1991-1992 from Injalak Arts & Crafts Association. Yulidjirri's multimedia expertise across rock, bark, and paper is evident here in his depiction of the Ubarr Ceremony, as the patterned background resembles the rock walls of nearby Injalak Hill. Visualizing connections across media and time, Yulidjirri’s painting attests to the role art plays in evoking and transferring stories and knowledge to the next generation of artists and audiences.

Thompson Yulidjirri, 

When Aboriginal Art started to explode in popularity in the 1980s, galleries, collectors, and museums were most interested in the major works on huge canvases. However, now that the art movement has achieved so much acclaim, collections like the Kluge-Ruhe are focusing more on the earliest works from important art centers like Papunya Tula. Curator Henry Skerritt shares what we learn about contemporary Aboriginal Art by studying the often anonymous works from the early days of Papunya Tula.

https://kluge-ruhe.org/exhibition/irrititja-kuwarri-tjungu-past-present-together-50-years-papunya-tula-artists/

The Kluge-Ruhe works very closely with Aboriginal artists and their descendants in designing their exhibitions. For this exhibit, Curator Henry Skerritt wasn't able to make his usual trip to Australia to meet with artists in person, so they solicited photos, stories, and input on the gallery from artists and descendants virtually. All which they've compiled for the accompanying exhibition catalog.

There aren't many female artists in the exhibit IRRITITJA KUWARRI TJUNGU: 50 YEARS OF PAPUNYA TULA ARTISTS. That's because when Papunya Tula was formed in the 1970s, there weren't many women working at Papunya Tula. Pansy Napangardi was an exception. She was one of the first women artists at Papunya Tula to get a great deal of international acclaim. We talk about her work and foreshadow the massive change that is to come when a new generation of female artists come to Papunya Tula in the 1990s and breathe new life into the art center.