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This paper offers an account of rock art research on contact and challenges some of the basic assumptions underlying previous approaches to contact rock art. It is argued that many Australian rock art studies incorporating contact art offer merely descriptive accounts of introduced objects without exploring the underlying social processes motivating and directing change within the art system. This study outlines a number of interpretations about the nature and patterning of contact rock art within a specific rock art assemblage in Watarrka National Park, central Australia. These conclusions were reached through the adoption of an analytical archaeological approach informed by readings of anthropological and historical data. The results of this analysis indicate that contact rock art does not merely reflect a series of historical events and the imposition of foreign forces, rather it represents a more complex exchange involving losses and gains. They further indicate that the rock art process of contact is a record of change and continuity which served not only to reflect the changes brought by Europeans but also highlights the active role Indigenous people took in responding to these circumstances.

________________________________________________________________In recent years there has been a strong resurgence in the production and visibility of graffiti/art in Australian cities. This paper considers what we may learn about this practice by adopting an archaeological approach to its study. The results yield interesting insights into two contemporary phenomena of graffiti/art production that offer intriguing links to Australian rock art. The study considers the significance of contemporary mark-making and explores how this practice may inform our approach to rock art research. ________________________________________________________________Résumé: Ces dernières années il y a eu une recrudescence forte dans la production de graffitis ou d'art pictural dans des villes australiennes. Cet article considère ce que nous pouvons apprendre de cette pratique en adoptant une approche archéologique de son étude. Les résultats rapportent des aperçus intéressants dans deux phénomènes contemporains de la production de graffitis et d'art pictural qui présentent des liaisons intrigantes à l'art du rock australien. L'étude considère la signification de ces projections de marque contemporaine et explore comment cela peut informer notre approche du rock et de la recherche. ________________________________________________________________Resumen: En los ú ltimos añ os se ha producido un fuerte renacimiento de la producció n y la visibilidad del arte del graffiti en las ciudades australianas. Este trabajo trata sobre lo que podemos aprender de esta práctica adoptando un enfoque arqueoló gico para su estudio. El resultado proporciona interesantes perspectivas sobre dos fenó menos contemporáneos de la producció n del arte del graffiti que tiene sorprendentes vínculos con el rock australiano. El estudio plantea el significado del dibujo contemporáneo y analiza có mo podría conformar nuestro enfoque sobre investigaciones del arte del rock.

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This forum aims to go beyond the usual art/archaeology discussions to explore the possibilities – and challenges - for work which might push beyond what is traditionally accepted as either art or archaeology. The articles comprise a diverse range of responses from academics and practitioners working creatively with heritage—in its broadest sense—from a range of disciplinary perspectives. This introduction sets these responses into context through the discussion of several interlinked themes - interdisciplinarity, practice, participation, and relevance - which surface throughout the forum.