Aboriginal artworks date back tens of thousands of years and are characterised by many more types of art than the dot paintings and vibrant imagery we are familiar with today. They were used for storytelling and the passing down of culture between generations. Today, we merge the style of traditional Indigenous artworks with the Western appreciation for beautiful, creative works – making authentic dot paintings and watercolours available to buy on canvas.

Contemporary Aboriginal art first emerged in the 1970s from the Papunya region. In 1971 a young schoolteacher working in the region encouraged his class to create artworks inspired by their own heritage. Elders and others in the community soon became involved and the contemporary Indigenous art movement began. This movement spread through many regions and communities in Central Australia, including the Utopia region which is where most of Mbantau Gallery’s artworks are created. With influences ranging from Aboriginal symbols to Dreamtime storytelling, the contemporary Indigenous art movement is a celebration of Indigenous Australians creativity and connections to their history, their ancestors and their land.