377810582115000

Published by on



Gunga

Gunga refers to the weaving and production of goods from pandanus leaves and natural fibres. This design depicts fibre art from her homeland Galiwinku, Elcho Island.

The fish trap, basket, string bag and pandanus mats are objects as well as ancestral spirits and are significant to the artists as together they relate to her djang (Aboriginal religious belief).

Fish traps are woven by hand using the milirl (Burney vine, Trophis scandens) from the jungle, which is soaked overnight to make it soft. Fish traps are used by both saltwater and freshwater hunters. Baskets and pandanus mats are made from pandanus leaves, which are collected using long hooks, stripped, dried, boiled in natural dye, then woven.

Name: Kylie Hall


Language: Djambarrpuyngu


Community: Elcho Island


Biography:

Kylie Hall is an emerging artist, with a strong family background in the arts.

Coming from Galiwinku on Elcho Island, Kylie has a unique style different to that of many Western Arnhem Land artists working at Babbarra. Kylie depicts clan and ceremonial designs from her island home in her artworks, with strong line work in her screens and detailed abstract mark making in her linos being her signature style.

Kylie works competently across lino printing and screen printing, and has a strong connection with the designs she depicts.

“My grandfather on Elcho island taught me to paint a long time ago. He sat with me and showed me how. He was a big artist and a big ceremony man for us. He passed away long time ago”


© the artist / art centre