Kundalk (Grasses), Ngaldjorlhbo (Mother of Everything) and Kunred (Country) – Woodblock
A beautiful indigo discharge dyed silk sari featuring woodblock designs created in 2023 during a special workshop with Tharangini Studio in Bangalore. This fabric features the following block designs:
Kunred (Country) by Janet Marawarr)
Kundalk (Grasses) by Deborah Wurrkidj
Ngaldjorlhbo (Mother of Everything) by Janet Marawarr
Printed in India by Tharangini Studio – Bangalore. This is a limited edition cotton yardage created as a result of workshops in India in January 2023. As part of their visit to India to open their exhibition, Jarracharra (dry season wind), Janet Marawarr and Deborah Wurrkidj visited Tharangini Studio, Bangalore’s oldest heritage textile studio. Established in 1977, Tharangini is woman-owned and specialises in organic, sustainable woodblock printed textiles. Tharangini’s skilled artisans worked closely with Babbarra in 2022 to hand carve some of babbarra designs old, Lino cut designs into woodblock. This initiative was supported by Kinaway Chamber of Commerce, Victoria and Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation.
‘I’m excited to see my Lino design made into woodblock. We are going to spend Saturday printing with Tharangini studio. We are going to learn woodblock printing. I’ve been working Bábbarra Women’s Centre for 37 years since it started. I’ve been printing Lino on fabric.’ Janet Marawarr 2023
‘Tomorrow we do printing Yawkyawk (mermaid spirit) and Ngalyod (rainbow serpent). My design is together with my sister. Together we started working at the Women’s Centre and Maningrida Arts and Culture, taught by our mother and grandmother. My sister is a sick one and she pass on her story to me – Ngalyod (rainbow serpent). I help my sister, I help carry the knowledge for her. That’s why we both have designs being made into woodblock.’ Deborah Wurrkidj 2022
