Unsettled Business: Acrylic Painting, Tradition, and Indigenous Being

Abstract

Acrylic painting in Australian Indigenous communities is one of the sites in which the conundrum of “tradition” is faced. While this painting has particularly challenged the conception of cultural traditions as bounded, its status has also been challenged in terms of authenticity; but I argue that a framework emphasizing culture-making is more productive. This article explores the scandals and rumors that have accompanied the movement of acrylic painting into the commercial market, arguing that the circulation of Aboriginal fine art creates a sphere for discussing what Aboriginality and Aboriginal identity might be in relationship to Whites.

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