2020 IB Extended Essays

was interpreted differently, creating stories and laws that are unique to every community.

Aboriginal rock art from Western Australia.

When people think of what Aboriginal Australian artwork is, they usually imagine the

beautifully flecked palimpsests, commonly referred to as ‘dot’ paintings. Both

delightfully chaotic and articulately structured, the wild multi-coloured dot work is produced by repeatedly imprinting paint dipped implements (i.e. brushes or sticks) onto a surface as the artist works to tell a story. It is believed that this extremely intricate artwork was filled with calligraphic patterns and over dotting to portray symbols, as a way of disguising sacred knowledge of the Indigenous culture from Papunya and although many works are seemingly similar to the eye of the audience, each have their own personal approach to dot painting which is unique to the artist. Some have developed techniques where whole areas are enclosed by adjoining dots, creating smooth, colour-filled spaces. “white men”. This type of artwork is specific to the central Aboriginal community of

Ningura Napurrula, Women’s Ceremony, N/A.