Launch of 65,000 Years: A short history of Australian Art publication

The University is proud to announce the launch of an important new publication, 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art, which provides a profound exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and its significance in Australia's cultural landscape.

With an ironic title that speaks to the delayed acknowledgment of Indigenous art by curators and critics over the last few decades, the publication offers rich insights into 65,000 years of continuous culture and Indigenous knowledge.

Featuring contributions from 25 leading thinkers across various disciplines, the publication offers new insights into Indigenous Knowledge and creative practices while engaging in essential truth-telling about the enduring impact of Australian colonialism on Indigenous art and history.

The launch of this publication is part of a broader initiative coinciding with the revitalised Ian Potter Museum of Art, which will reopen its doors to the public during Reconciliation Week in May 2025.

The inaugural exhibition, also titled 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art, will showcase more than 400 artworks, including seven major new commissions by prominent contemporary First Nations artists.

This exhibition will run until November 23, celebrating the brilliance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in the face of a challenging history marked by colonialism and scientific racism.

The timing of this launch aligns with the University’s Murmuk Djerring Indigenous Strategy 2023-2027 and earlier initiatives, such as the recent release of Dhoombak Goobgoowana: A History of Indigenous Australia and the University of Melbourne.

These efforts signify our ongoing commitment to truth-telling and advancing reconciliation, emphasising the importance of dialogue surrounding Indigenous culture and art.

We invite all staff to engage with these initiatives that seek to honour and celebrate the profound history and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.