Western Desert Art

The Western Desert covers a broad area which includes most of the interior of Western Australia, northern South Australia and the southwest corner of the Northern Territory. The Aboriginal communities scattered throughout this area are among Australia’s most prolific art producers.

Western Desert people have much in common. People from across the region are often related through marriage and familial ties. They speak dialects of a broadly similar language, known as the Western Desert language, and have a similar history of contact with Europeans. Several major Dreaming tracks span the entire region, linking people over a vast area.