Australia’s “Dot” Art

The popular “dot paintings" of the Aboriginals were originally used in addition to the oral history of their dreamings, or creation legends, and made for cultural purposes, and not the art market. The dots are, in effect, a form of camouflage. Some artists were criticized for having revealed too much of their sacred heritage. As a result, detailed depictions of human figures and ceremonial paraphernalia were removed or modified. These designs and their 'inside' meanings, originally rendered in sand, were not to be written down and 'traded'. Dotting and over-dotting became a means of concealing dangerous, secret designs. Artists are only allowed to paint their tribe’s stories, and only with permission from the tribal elder. The viewing perspective is generally as though looking down from above. However, some artists are permitted to paint the “7 Sisters” dreaming or the “Milky Way” dreaming, an upward view. Since the 1970s this art form has continued to grow in popularity and most major museums in the world contain examples of this fascinating art form.