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 Australia has a unique artistic
heritage. Aboriginal rock carvings and paintings date back at
least 30,000 years. European settlers began to produce
distinctively Australian art forms towards the end of the 19th
century.
Since European settlement there have been many famous Australian
artists, including 20th century painters Sir William Dobell,
George Russell Drysdale, Frederick Ronald Williams, and Sidney
Nolan. The work of Sidney Nolan, based on themes derived from
Australian history and folklore, has achieved worldwide fame.
Patrick White was the first Australian to win the Nobel Prize
for literature in 1973.
Other notable Australian authors include Marcus Clarke, Henry
Lawson, Miles Franklin, Jon Cleary, Colleen McCullough and
Thomas Keneally. Favorite children's authors include May Gibbs,
creator of the Gumnut Babies, and Dorothy Wall, creator of
Blinky Bill. Renowned poets include A.B. Paterson ("Waltzing
Matilda"), Dorothea Mackellar, C.J. Dennis, and Kenneth Slessor.
The oldest music in Australia is the music of the Aborigines.
Music plays a central role in the life of the Aboriginal
societies. Singing and dancing provide the major form of
entertainment during social gatherings called corroborees. Songs
serve as the vital link to the sphere of Aboriginal spirits
called Dreamtime.
The history of European-based music in Australia began with the
British settlers, but has now been influenced by a number of
different cultures. Today, each major  city in Australia has a
symphony orchestra. Classical ballet was brought to Australia by
the native-born dancer and choreographer Sir Robert Helpmann,
one of the founders of the Australian Ballet.
Beginning in the 1970s, there was a resurgence of the motion
picture industry. Films produced in Australia, dealing with
Australian themes, attract audiences throughout the entire
world. |
