Aboriginal Art in the Northern Territory

Subject 107-472 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 4 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2009.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: An 18 day intensive fieldwork program in the Northern Territory of Australia from 26 June to 13 July, which includes at least 30 contact hours comprising site visits (12 hours), lectures (9 hours), seminars (6 hours) and film screenings (3 hours)
Total Time Commitment: 30 (intensive) contact hours/week , 72 additional hours/week. Total of 8.5 hours per week.
Prerequisites: Usually admission to an honours or postgraduate diploma in art history, or MA program in art history, art curatorship or indigenous studies.
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Contact

Susan Lowish
susan.lowish@unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview: This subject is taught in Alice Springs and Darwin including 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.
Objectives:
  • Have met and interacted with Australian Aboriginal people from a diverse range of communities and learnt about their art, its history and culture in an indigenous setting.
  • Have read the literature on, and experienced 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;
  • Be familiar with 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.
Assessment: A written site project, equivalent to 1500 words 25% (due in July), and an essay of 3500 words 75% (due in August).
Prescribed Texts: A subject reader will be available.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
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.
Notes: A quota applies to this subject. Students should obtain a quota application form from the School of Culture and Communication or the Australian Indigenous Studies program office. Special entry conditions apply. Itinerary and travel arrangements available from the School of Culture and Communication. Strict enrolment deadlines apply to subjects taught during the Winter Recess. The subject dates and HECS/course fee census dates for this subject change each year. Check your enrolment record for the correct census date for this subject.
Related Course(s): Master of Art Curatorship (Coursework and Minor Thesis)
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Art History
Art History
Art History

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