Tuscaloosa – Contemporary Australian Aboriginal art is one of the most significant art movements of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, according to Anne Keener, curator of the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art’s upcoming exhibition, Pattern Thinking: Australian Aboriginal Art from the Collection of Tom and Cynthia Schneider.
Keener will speak about the exhibition and the art on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 at 3:30 p.m., in Lloyd Hall 226. Join us for a reception after the lecture from 5-7 p.m., in Garland Hall 103. The exhibition runs Oct. 11 – Nov. 16.
“The indigenous Australian paintings express stories of patterns of interrelation of the forces of all of life, laid down by creator beings,” Keener said. She will talk about the Aboriginal artists in this exhibition and the ideas behind their work. Keener, who received her MFA in painting and drawing, and her BA in comparative studies/religious studies from The Ohio State University, said that she learned the term “pattern thinking” while listening to a talk by the influential Aboriginal elder David Mowaljarlai. Pattern thinking embodies the interconnectedness of all life that the indigenous people of Australia see in the world around them. Mowaljarlai said, “Indigenous elders from all over Australia, from the top end down to the cold country, believe that culture is the lifeblood of the people – the source of inner strength in an individual.” Pattern thinking, an integral part of indigenous Australian culture, according to Mowaljarlai and other Aboriginal leaders, contributes to a balanced life and good mental health and creates and encourages cross-cultural dialogue.
The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art is supported by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Art and Art History. For more information, contact the gallery at (205) 348-1891.
Lloyd Hall is a five-minute walk from the Campus Drive Parking Deck and Bus Hub on Hackberry Lane. Information about visitor parking is available here: http://bamaparking.ua.edu/visitor-information/.