As we are approaching the time when the Year of Australian Culture will be held in China, it is with great pleasure that the National Art Museum of China will collaborate with the National Museum of Australia to hold the exhibition Papunya Painting: Out of the Desert, Balgo—Contemporary Australian Art from the Balgo Hills,which demonstrates a new achievement in cultural exchange between China and Australia and has special significance as the first exhibition program of the Year of Australian Culture in China.

The Aboriginal art of Australia is not only an art from the past but also an art of the present day. The Australian Government promotes multicultural ideas and makes great efforts to preserve Aboriginal art, helping it to continue and produce new creations. We appreciate that the rich world of Aboriginal art of Australia has various regional forms and styles. However, this exhibition mainly introduces Aboriginal art from the district of Papunya in the central part of Australia, through which the Chinese audience can appreciate the art and learn more about its artistic features, the mysterious symbolism in the paintings, the aesthetic concepts reflected in the presentation of daily objects, the primitive yet modern styles, the rustic and durable materials. These, together with the guidance from many Australian experts, combine in this exhibition to take us onto an exciting journey to explore the creative world of Aboriginal art of Australia.

China and Australia have agreed to the importance of preserving cultural heritage of mankind and maintaining the cultural diversity in the world. This exhibition will not only present to us the Aboriginal art itself but also the innovative activities by Australia to preserve cultural heritage and promote innovation based on tradition. In exchange for this exhibition, the National Art Museum of China will launch an exhibition of Chinese revolutionary art during the Year of China in Australia from 2011 to 2012. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that the bridge of artistic exchange between China and Australia, built upon this exhibition, will continue to expand and bring about a cultural significance in a much broader sense.

(All works are copyright the artists or their estates and are licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency 2010. They must not be reproduced in any form without permission.)