Yes, framing Aboriginal paintings is highly recommended for protection and display, using archival materials like acid-free mats and UV-protective glass for delicate works, while canvas pieces often benefit from stretching over a wooden frame (stretcher) or using a floater frame to highlight texture and provide support, with the choice depending on the artwork's medium and your preference for showcasing the edges.
Aboriginal Art Prints
They are also usually more affordable and easier to ship around the world. To make sure they last the test of time however, you do need to invest in framing them properly. Keeping works on paper directly out of the sun and framed behind glass is recommended.
FRAMES HELP KEEP THE EYE WHERE YOU WANT IT — ON THE ARTWORK.
If your artwork of choice is really “busy” and has a lot of different elements that the eye jumps to, a frame might be helpful to keep the eye on the artwork longer.
Cultural appropriation often represents a power imbalance when a member of the dominant culture uses specific cultural references, including craft and self-representation, from a minority or colonized culture (including Indigenous, racialized and newcomer communities) without explicit permission or collaboration.
In-gallery and art fairs: framed work presents better and sells faster; framing costs are often absorbed into the retail price. Online marketplaces: shipping framed pieces is heavier/bulkier and increases damage risk and shipping expense; unframed (rolled/canvas without stretcher) is cheaper to ship and safer.
The 70/30 rule in art is a compositional guideline suggesting that 70% of a piece should be less detailed "filler" or background, while the remaining 30% is dedicated to the detailed focal point, guiding the viewer's eye and creating visual balance. It's also a time-management strategy, where 70% of your total effort goes to planning (composition, value, color) and only 30% to the final rendering, helping perfectionists avoid rushing.
The 57-inch rule for hanging art is a popular guideline where the center of the artwork is placed about 57 inches (145 cm) from the floor, aligning with the average adult eye level for comfortable viewing, used by galleries and designers for balanced placement. For gallery walls, this 57-inch mark should hit the center of the entire collection, not each individual piece, creating harmony for the whole arrangement.
If you are a non-Indigenous person and you're exploring a technique used commonly by an Aboriginal artist, you are not creating “Aboriginal art.” Aboriginal art is any art made by an Aboriginal person, so only an Aboriginal person can make Aboriginal art.
He broke down cultural appropriation into three P's: property, privilege, profit. Cultural Property, he explained is not about ownership, but about culture. How certain elements are often identified with a specific culture, for example, dreadlocks, and how dreadlocks are symbolic of religious belief in some cultures.
Framing a canvas painting enhances its presentation and protects the edges from wear. However, canvases are designed to be displayed without frames, offering a raw, gallery-style look.
Abstract art, line drawings, and trendy prints often look quite nice without a frame. The edge of such canvas and its raw edges can create a more modern, cool look. This is especially true in terms of unframed art that fits the minimalist category and enjoys simplicity and clean lines.
The 2/3 rule for wall art is a guideline suggesting artwork should span roughly two-thirds the width of the furniture it hangs above, creating visual balance and proportion in a room, and it also suggests leaving about 20-25cm between the furniture and the art. For empty walls, aim for art to fill 60-75% of the wall's width. It helps art feel intentional, not too small (lost) or too large (overwhelming).
Yes, a stretched canvas is made to display beautifully even without a frame. The artwork is printed on durable fabric and stretched over sturdy wooden bars, so it already has clean, visible edges. Unframed canvases are perfect for modern interiors, especially in minimalist, Scandinavian, or boho-neutral spaces.
Here are key factors to consider when framing and presenting your artwork for competition:
The standard three-part test for Aboriginality in Australia requires a person to meet three criteria: descent (biological ancestry), self-identification (identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander), and community acceptance (being recognized as such by their Indigenous community). This definition, adopted by the Commonwealth government, is used for many government programs and services, although the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) uses a simpler two-part test (descent and self-identification) for general data collection.
Yes, "Koori" (or Koorie/Goori) is an appropriate regional term for Aboriginal people from southeastern Australia (NSW/Victoria), but it's always best to ask an individual their preference or use broader terms like "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander" or "First Nations people" if you're unsure, as "Koori" is specific to a region and not all Indigenous Australians identify with it. Using specific nation names (like Wiradjuri, Gunditjmara) is even better if known, but "Koori" is a respectful, reclaiming term for its specific area.
5 ways to avoid cultural appropriation
First Nations and Higher Education: The Four R's - Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility. In Knowledge Across Cultures: A Contribution to Dialogue Among Civilizations.
Framing Aboriginal art is an important step to ensure your piece is beautifully displayed and well-protected. Whether it's a rolled painting from our Desert Paintings collection or a delicate woven artwork, choosing the right framing or hanging option enhances the beauty of the work while complementing your space.
If you have Indigenous ancestry, you may choose to self-identify. This is based on how you define your own identity — you do not need to provide proof. How you answer the question will not affect your level of care. Patients may decline to answer at any time, regardless of how they identify.
The Indigenous Art Code does not suggest that purchasing from any single source is superior to another. As a buyer of art, we encourage you to learn about the business model of any dealer you plan to purchase from and how this informs their relationship with the artist.
The 2/3 rule in art, particularly for interior design, is a guideline suggesting artwork hung above furniture (like sofas or consoles) should span about two-thirds the width of the furniture below it, creating visual balance and harmony. This prevents art from looking too small (disconnected) or too large (overpowering). In photography/painting, the rule of thirds also involves dividing a scene into thirds to place the horizon or key subjects, creating more dynamic compositions.
57-60 Inches Often Works: The general rule of thumb is to place the center of your picture about 57″ to 60″ off the ground. This formula doesn't work for every situation, but it's a good place to start when hanging your piece. When in doubt, follow the 57-inch rule for your center point.
The general height and placement recommendation is to set the top of your lowest piece at 58 inches above the floor. If you add other artwork, leave two inches (or more, depending on the look you're going for, just be consistent) around each frame on all sides.