Art enthusiasts in China have the chance to get their first look at quintessential Aboriginal art.
A new exhibition, Papunya Painting: Out Of The Australian Desert, opened at the National Art Museum of China on Wednesday night.
Almost 50 works and 18 ethnographic objects from the National Museum of Australia’s immense western desert collection will be on display there until August.
Museum director Andrew Sayers says many Chinese had not seen Aboriginal art of such historical significance before, but were keen to get their first look.
“For many people here it is quite a new experience,” he said.
“It’s also an art form that the Chinese audience is very interested in – to try and understand how Aboriginal art works, in terms of iconography and how it coveys its message.
“There’s a lot of interest in the stories surrounding each painting,” he added.
