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  3. Aboriginal Art in the Northern Territory

Aboriginal Art in the Northern Territory (AHIS90013)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Off Campus

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Overview

Availability(Quotas apply)
June - Off Campus
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This subject is taught in Darwin with visits to artistically significant Aboriginal communities. Emphasising Indigenous ownership of cultural knowledge, students will consider the history and development of Aboriginal art in the Northern Territory and the specific social, economic, geographical and cultural effects it has generated. In a series of structured classes, students will be versed in protocols and introduced to traditional owners and community members. During visits to communities, students will witness the creation of artworks and be able to initiate projects based on primary research. They will learn about the key issues and elements governing the contemporary Aboriginal art scene, the relationship between art and culture, including the importance of art in the wider community. Funding, management models and resource availability will be explained in relation to the art centres visited. Students will also study the display and consumption of Indigenous art at institutional and tourist levels.

This is an intensive subject taught in Darwin and surrounding communities in the Northern Territory in June-July.

A quota of 10-12 students applies to this subject. 

 

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Recall having met and interacted with Australian Aboriginal people from a diverse range of communities and learnt about their art, its history and culture.
  • Identify the literature on, and recount their experiences at first hand, a range of issues that Australian Aboriginal people face, and how these have influenced and affected art production.
  • Understand the need to establish networks and foster relationships that recognise and respect Indigenous knowledge, leading to equitable research partnerships in the field of art history.
  • Recognise the relevant literature in art history that addresses the place of the Aboriginal art genre, the range of interpretive methodologies applied in the study of Aboriginal art and the politics of consumption and display.

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:

  • Be able to research through the competent use of the library and other information sources, and be able to define areas of inquiry and methods of research in the preparation of essays
  • Be able to conceptualise theoretical problems, form judgements and arguments and communicate critically, creatively and theoretically through essay writing, tutorial discussion and presentations
  • Be able to communicate knowledge intelligibly and economically through essay writing and tutorial discussion
  • Be able to manage and organise workloads for recommended reading, the completion of essays and assignments and examination revision
  • Be able to participate in team work through involvement in syndicate groups and group discussions.

 

Last updated: 13 February 2026