A brief history of Australian Art and Jewellery
History of Australian Art and Jewellery
The History of Jewellery shows how classics have always intrigued and fascinated humans. Humans have always been drawn to the past and to the rich stories that come with it. The folklores and stories from the past come alive with ancient art, which also bring with them the desires and dreams of ancient times.
Aboriginal art and Jewellery is one such area which brings with it the rich culture and history of Australia. Aboriginals are the oldest continuous culture on earth. Their art is said to be as old as 80,000 years. Aboriginal art focuses on storytelling through different forms and symbols. They did not have a written language, therefore their art is the only gateway to the past, the history and culture of those times.
Most of the art originates from 'Dreamtime' the period aboriginal people believe the world was created.The art is the artists expression of the stories, the dreams, the culture and norms of the times and aboriginal art truly embodies that. The technique and style of an art can clearly tell as to what culture or tribe the artist belongs to, and it is considered disrespectful and unacceptable to represent culture other than one belongs to.
There were several types of visual arts like rock painting, dot painting, bark painting and string art. Each art piece had a story to tell or a secret to share. The stories were passed on to the younger generation and the elders drew on sand to teach children. In 1971 a teacher named Geoffrey Bardon encouraged men to record stories on canvas and boards rather than sand.This led to the birth of this genre with use of new modern medium. Every art piece needed permission to be depicted in order to maintain respect for the culture and family from where it originates.
Indigenous people loved painting and making Jewellery. It was an important part of their lives and carried lots of significance. It was used for aesthetic as well as spiritual reasons. It was made from natural material around them. They used seashells, feathers, bones, grass, reeds, dried seeds or fruits depending on their availability in a particular region.
They made necklaces as an important part of tradition. The whole process of creating and wearing the necklace carried a lot of significance and meaning.They used seeds or shells for pendants. The string for the pendants was made using either human hair covered in grease and red ochre or with reed . It was customary for men and women to wear necklaces for important occasions and ceremonies. The string of necklace carried a lot of significance as far as the relatedness is concerned. It represented the connection with land and also connection within families. Red colour was preferred for beads as it was considered a symbol of power, fire and energy. The other colours that were in use and also considered sacred are black, yellow and white which represent earth, water and sky respectively. These colours were sourced from original materials like iron pigments and charcoal. There were various kinds of necklaces, echidna quill necklace, seed necklace, shell necklace etc. They also made bracelets, anklets, earrings in a similar fashion. These jewellry pieces were passed from one generation to next to reinforce the importance it holds for their culture.
The tribes near coastal regions used resources from the sea like shells, sea weeds etc whereas the ones in the interiors derived it from animals like animal teeth, animal skin etc. They made echidna quills necklace and used materials like kangaroo teeth to show strength and to intimidate. Much of the aboriginal art can be traced from the community it originates from.
The production of necklaces and bracelets is a seasonal occupation, which is carried mainly by women. There is an entire process from gathering of seeds to final lacquer. The geometric patterns like concentric circles, curved lines, straight lines or u shape are then drawn on the beads. These lines represent campsites, rainwater or underground water, routes to campsites or important places, and people respectively. Aunty Dulcie Greeno from Tasmanian Aboriginal community has been making shell necklaces from.past 40 years and still continues to do so. Her necklaces have been exhibited widely.
Decorative art was central to aboriginal art for thousands of years. When the Europeans settled in they adapted it to provide context with local conditions. The ex convict aboriginals were the pioneers of jewellry made out of silver illegally extracted from melting the silver currency. Australian jewellry has been impacted by key historical forces. Melbourne was once a popular hub of jewellry production famously called marvelous Melbourne. Discovery of gold during 1850's led to the gold rush. Gold was used quite a lot in Australian Jewellery which marked it different from the UK and Europe.
Australian jewellry was mostly not stamped and was identified by the flora and fauna depicted on it. Also the gems used in the jewellry, opal, agate , quartz and blue and yellow Australian sapphires was another indication that it originates from Australia. The use of flora, mostly leaf designs, was quite popular during the Victorian era. Silver and enamel jewellry which sometimes used pearls were in vogue during the 19th and early 20th century. Art deco designs that used diamonds and platinum were quite popular too. Miner's brooches were also quite sought after jewellry.
Australian jewellry was a part of international exhibitions since the time of the gold rush. The availability of skill and metals made Australia produce the best metalwork in the world. Australian Jewellry still continues to be in demand and is much appreciated by collectors all around the world.
Here on www.blingjewellery.com.au ,we are committed to providing the quality products that our in line with this historical story. Our use of silver, depiction of nature, enamel finish is a part of our fascination for our beautiful country. We keep in mind the rich history of Australian jewellry in curating the best pieces for our customers. Scroll our website to find the finest pieces of Jewellery available online.
The History of Australian Art and Jewellery: A Unique Journey Through Time
Australia's art and jewellery scene is an intriguing blend of ancient Indigenous traditions, colonial influences, and contemporary innovation. Ranging from ancient Indigenous rock paintings that date back over 10,000 years to contemporary jewellery designs inspired by its vibrant landscape - Australia has an enthralling artistic history which this blog will explore further. These art forms demonstrate cultural diversity as well as artistic creativity across its nation.
1. Indigenous Art and Jewellery: An Age-Old Tradition
Indigenous Australian art is among the world's longest standing artistic traditions, dating back over 40,000 years with rock engravings, paintings, body art and body adornment originating in Australia itself. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples used art as a form of storytelling, spiritual expression and communication - often depicting stories about land, animals or their ancestors that served to memorialise and communicate cultural beliefs and truth. These artworks often contained symbols depicting or symbolising meaning beyond words such as Dreamtime as well as stories told of life before or about past events from events in Indigenous beliefs systems as representations of their creation period within Indigenous belief systems - making this tradition both ancient and unique in Australia itself!
Rock Art
Early examples of Indigenous Australian art can be seen in rock paintings and petroglyphs found at places such as Kakadu National Park, Uluru and Kimberley. These intricate artworks showcase dot painting techniques like dot painting, cross hatching and stencilling using natural pigments such as ochre to depict animals, humans and spirits - serving both decorative and spiritual functions connecting people to the land and their ancestors.
Body Art and Jewellery
Indigenous Australians embraced art as a form of personal adornment through body art and jewellery creations using natural materials like shells, seeds, feathers and bones for personal adornment and social status indicators. Necklaces, bracelets and headbands crafted by these craftsmen often reflected tribal identity or social standing within communities like Tasmania's Aboriginal population for example have existed for thousands of years and represent some of Australia's earliest examples of jewellery design.
2. Colonial Inflections on Australian Art and Jewellery
European colonists' arrival in 1788 marked the start of a new artistic era in Australia, heavily influenced by European styles--primarily British landscape painting--such as John Glover and Eugene von Guerard's landscape paintings that captured its vast and exotic scenery, often romanticized to appeal to European tastes.
Convict Jewellery
Convicts were often involved in the production of jewellery during Australia's early colonial era. Crafting pieces out of materials like silver, brass and copper for use as tokens of love or friendship--sometimes with personal messages engraved in them--often as tokens known as convict love tokens which remain today to offer us an insight into life of its early inhabitants.
Gold Rush Jewellery
Australia was transformed by its discovery of gold in the mid 19th century. The Victorian gold rush (1851-1860s) brought skilled European jewellers with them, creating a flourishing jewellery industry using both Australian gold and local gemstones such as sapphires, opals and mookaite (an Australian jasper). Jewellers created ornate pieces reminiscent of European styles but featuring Australian elements like kangaroos, emu feathers and gum leaves in their designs.
3. Federation and National Identity in Art and Jewellery
With Australia entering Federation in 1901, an increasing desire was felt among artists and jewellers to forge an Australian cultural identity through art and jewellery creations that strayed away from European influences. Artists began adopting uniquely Australian themes and symbols instead of following European practices.
Australian Impressionism
The late 19th century witnessed the birth of Australian Impressionism with artists like Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, and Frederick McCubbin at its forefront. Their paintings sought to capture the unique light found throughout Australia's landscape and its rural life while depicting its harsh beauty - playing an integral part in shaping Australia's artistic identity during this period.
Early 20th Century Jewellery Design
Beginning in the early 20th Century, Australian jewellery began incorporating more Australian elements, reflecting a growing sense of nationalism. Jewellers used indigenous materials like opals (Australia's national gemstone) and pearls from Broome; pieces often included motifs inspired by Australian flora and fauna such as Wattle banksia or Koala motifs. Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements had their impact as jewellers embraced bold geometric patterns with organic forms.
4. Modern and Contemporary Art and Jewellery in Australia
Innovation and Diversity The 20th century witnessed significant shifts in both Australia's art and jewellery scenes. International movements such as modernism and abstract art had an impactful influence on Australian artists while contemporary jewellers began exploring innovative materials and techniques to produce pieces they call "New Jewels".
Post-War Art Movements
Following World War II, Australian art witnessed an evolution toward modernism and abstraction. Artists like Sidney Nolan, Russell Drysdale, and Arthur Boyd explored themes of alienation, identity and Australian landscape through modernist techniques. Nolan's Ned Kelly series depicted the notorious bushranger and became iconic - merging historical facts with modernist techniques in his paintings.
Papunya Tula movement began in the 1970s and saw an international renaissance of Indigenous art. Artists such as Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri and Emily Kame Kngwarreye are widely revered for their vibrant artworks that depict complex cultural histories through contemporary mediums.
Contemporary Jewellery
Australian jewellers have recently shown great innovation by using a wide range of materials and techniques in their work, not limited to gold and silver but also exploring resin, recycled materials, 3D printing technology and 3D scanning techniques. Modern Australian jewelers draw much of their inspiration from Australia's diverse landscape; creating pieces which reflect coastlines, deserts and rainforests.
Opal jewellery remains a mainstay in Australian jewellery design, with artists crafting contemporary pieces to highlight this gem's vibrant colors. Bangles, earrings and necklaces featuring aboriginal-inspired patterns or Australian wildlife-related motifs remain popular choices among Australian jewellery enthusiasts.
5. Sustainability and Ethical Jewellery
Over recent years, Australia has witnessed a steady increase in sustainable and ethical jewellery designs. Jewelers increasingly focus on using responsibly mined gemstones, recycled metals and fair trade jewellery materials in their designs to reduce environmental impact and minimise impact. Jewellers also aim to ensure all their materials come from ethical suppliers that source responsibly for each design project they take on.
Conclusion
Australia's art and jewellery history reveals its diverse cultures, landscapes and national identity in equal measure. From ancient Aboriginal traditions to contemporary innovations, Australian artists and jewellers continue to leave an indelible mark through their creativity and craftsmanship - today, Australian art and jewellery is appreciated not just for its beauty, but for how deeply connected they are with land, people and story.