Ngalkodjek Yawkyawk This artwork depicts the Ngalkodjek Yawkyawk of Barrihdjowkkeng country. “This story is very old. That old man [my father Crusoe Kuningbal] when he was alive, told that story to me, to all of us. He told us about the yawkyawk (mermaid) spirit women called Ngalkodjek who lives in the Read more…
Gomarla (Egret bird) The artist has carved the ‘Gomarla’, which in the Burarra word for Egret. This bird is native to the country of Yilan, which is the coastal region North West of Maningrida Community. People use feathers from gomarla to make ceremonial regalia for Yirrichinga. Many Yirrichinga groups own manikay ‘song’ for gomarla. Gomarla mun-baparrurr Gopungorra. Jin-gubatbatcha jin-banga Read more…
Yawkyawk dja Wayuk (young woman spirit and waterlily) Deborah Wurrkidj is a Kuninjku artist from the Kurulk clan whose country lies around the outstation of Mumeka in central Arnhem Land. This image depicts a female water spirit, or Yawkyawk, from a creek in the rock country near Yikkarakal. The Yawkyawk Read more…
Djenj (fish) and mandjabu (fishtrap) This fabric was created using the linocut fabric printing technique, which has been refined at Bábbarra Women’s Centre since it was introduced in the mid-1990s. The Lino tile is carved by the artist at Bábbarra Designs. It is printed on fabric by hand using a variety of colours Read more…
Alana Ngwarraye Holmes – My Country I was born in Ali Curung, my father was Cigarette George, he was a drover and my Mother is Edie Kemarre Holmes. My mother taught me to paint, I watched her when I was small, she is an important artist who was involved in Read more…
Linyji (Claypan) “This linyji (claypan) story, it’s about when the old people used to be living in the desert, a long, long time ago- thousands of years ago. They used to make a hole in the linyjii for the wilyki (seed), using the wind to separate the seed [from the husk; winnowing]. Also, when we Read more…
Rudall River This is Jatarr’s Country- her ‘ngurra’ (home Country, camp). People identify with their ngurra in terms of specific rights and responsibilities, and the possession of intimate knowledge of the physical and cultural properties of one’s Country. Painting ngurra, and in so doing sharing the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories and Read more…
Pitu (Separation Well) “I paint Pitu because my father come[s] from Pitu and all the rest of the family, they belong to there. Family hear the stories all the time from Jakayu [Biljabu]. It’s their connection to that place. All the old people were walking through that area, aunty Jakayu was Read more…
Mungili “Mungili rock hole. Big rock hole, big Country. I never see that place. My mother born [there], her and her grandmother walk through there, they tell me story [for that place]. Mother born there in the Country Mungili, walking through the bush. There is a camping spot, camping in Read more…
Dreamtime Martumili Artists work with over three hundred artists from remote Martu Aboriginal communities, including Punmu, Parnngurr, Kunawarritji, Jigalong, Irrungadji (Nullagine), and Warralong, as well as from the Parnpajinya (Newman) gallery and studio spaces. Known for their diverse, energetic, and unmediated painting styles, their works reflect the dramatic geography and Read more…