Between Indigenous Australia and Europe: John Mawurndjul: Art Histories in Context

As his work is both simultaneously grounded in his country in northern Australia, and internationally, the resulting dual perspective raises basic questions about how art should be viewed and approached in intercultural terms. From their different perspectives, renowned Australian contributors, Jon Altman, Sally Butler, Apolline Kohen, Howard Morphy, Judith Ryan, Luke Taylor and Paul S.C. Tacon, join a range of well-known European contributors including Anne-Marie Bonnet, Marianne Eigenheer, Till Forster, Jean-Hubert Martin, Bernhard Luthi, John Onians and Kitty Zijlmans to raise and debate key questions. For example, what is the main reference point when dealing with the work of John Mawurndjul. Is it the art gallery where the work is displayed, or its place of origin in Arnhem Land? And what are the ramifications of the choice of a specific reference point on the interpretation and understanding of his art works?