Author Description

This is an examination, through illustration and text, of the differing art styles of twenty aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land (crosshatched bark paintings), the Central Desert (multi-layered dot paintings) and the Kimberley (ochre paintings), as well as the work of several urban artists. The book is introduced by a history of the development of aboriginal art, followed by sections on each region where there are biographies of major artists, descriptions of the area, and information about the art object. An appendix lists the places to see or buy the work. There are large glossy color photos of the artwork and of the landscape from which it originated, intimating that geography is, in part, artistic destiny. McCulloch is the Australian newspaper's visual arts writer, and co-author of The Encyclopedia of Australian Art. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)