65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art Book Review

'65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art,' edited by Marcia Langton and Judith Ryan, is set for release in 2024 by Thames & Hudson Australia, coinciding with an exhibition at the Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, from May to November 2025. The publication includes contributions from 25 Indigenous community members and experts in Aboriginal art, each presenting sections filled with sketches, paintings, and artifacts. Coby Edgar discusses the challenges of curatorial work amidst violence against Aboriginal people, while Tristen Harwood writes a letter titled 'Dear smudged sunlight' about artists depicting Australia’s landscapes. The book also addresses the University of Melbourne's involvement in unethical research on Indigenous Australians, with Ross L. Jones highlighting the desecration of burial sites. Jessica Clark features works by Brook Andrew and Judy Watson that respond to this prejudice. Professor Ian McLean and Stephen Gilchrist analyze 'disremembering' as a colonial tactic, while curator Grazia Gunn emphasizes fundamental artistic principles, echoing Langton's assertion that 'This is art.' The work calls for a reevaluation of the colonial narrative surrounding Aboriginal art in the contemporary art scene.