Essay Database

The Land occupies a distinctive time and place in the cultural experience of Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous. "The Land" takes up a distinguishing place in the cultural knowledge of both indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. We see this through the works of many Australian artists. Indigenous Australian artists represent their cultural knowledge of the land through a contextual range of forms and styles which contrast from the ways in which it is represented by non-indigenous Australian …

…of "his land"-the Aranda landscape. The distinctive arrangement, interpretations and colouring of the features of each landscape are strong icons for remembered and particular places. Sidney Nolan (1917-1992), another non-indigenous Australian artist, is like Frederick McCubbin, as they're both interested in depicting narratives in the landscape. Nolan has captured the imagery of true Australian landscape and the mythology of its inhabitants. His works display originality and sensitivity, ranging from poetic fantasy to dramatic realism.