The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art CollectionWatch an interactive slideshow with the story of this collection. 
Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri, Family Bush Tucker Dreaming, 1972 © 2008 Aboriginal Artists Agency, Sydney The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection promotes learning about Australian Aboriginal art and culture through an integrated program of collection management, exhibition, education, research, and publication. The collection was created in 1997 through a gift by John W. Kluge, an American businessman who compiled one of the world's finest private collections of Australian Aboriginal art. Mr. Kluge began collecting Aboriginal art in 1989 and later purchased the collection of Edward L. Ruhe (1923-1989), a University of Kansas professor who developed an interest in Aboriginal art while visiting Australia as a Fulbright scholar in 1965. The Kluge-Ruhe Collection comprises more than 1,700 objects, including paintings, sculpture, and artifacts. Most major regional artistic styles of painting are represented in the collection. Particular strengths include the bark art of central and northeast Arnhem Land, contemporary paintings on paper from western Arnhem Land, and acrylic paintings from the western desert. Displayed on this page is one of sixteen paintings recently given by John W. Kluge. Read about the gift at UVaToday. Find out more at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection web site. |