Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation

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Bird Wood Carving

Wood carving has always been part of Aboriginal culture and Djilpin artists continue this tradition. Men carved wood for many purposes – tools for hunting or gathering food, axes and knives for building shelters, spears and clubs for protection of their lives and territory, objects for ceremony and to mark sacred sites.

Hunting implements include the boomerang, woomera and spear. The woomera is a lever which helps to increase the speed and distance the spear travels. Clapsticks are used as percussion instruments by the Songmen to accompany dancing along with the didgeridoo (mago).

As well as the more functional carvings, artists portray animals and birds in wood, and these carvings are often painted. Ceremonial carvings include spirit creatures including mukuy (devil devils) and mimi.

Some fine mimi figures have been cast in bronze.

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Mat

Fibre Art is an ancient Aboriginal women’s craft that is still made today using the same techniques as their ancestors. Making fibre art is labour intensive and much care and fine needlework is required to ensure the finished object is both functional and beautiful. Fibre art from Ghunmarn Culture Centre includes dilly bags, floor mats, bush fans, woven creatures found in the landscape, plants such as yams (bush potato), baskets, place mats, and spirit figures such as mermaids and Mukuys. Natural pandanus fibre (Mukarra), is used to make much of the fibre art produced by the artists of Djilpin Arts. Women collect the pandanus by pulling from the top of the pandanus tree, then stripping and drying the leaves before they are dyed with natural bush colour collected from the Beswick surrounds.

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Billabong Creatures

Djilpin Arts is a not for profit Aboriginal Corporation that promotes the maintenance, development and transmission of traditional cultural knowledge systems.

Djilpin Arts specialises in art, live cultural performance, digital media, and produced the popular performance event – the Walking With Spirits Festival as well as Concerts on Country.

Djilpin Arts operates the Ghunmarn Culture Centre – home of the Blanasi Collection and offers fine arts & crafts for sale. Djilpin Arts operates an outlet in Katherine – Shed 5, where all works are sourced from Ghunmarn Culture Centre. Ghunmarn Culture Centre is in the Wugularr (Beswick) community of South East Arnhem Land.

All artworks are made by local artists living in the community. Artwork reflects the traditional songs and stories that have been passed down through the generations with a contemporary edge.  Fibre art is a special feature of Djilpin Arts as is its Gapu Series of fine art prints.

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Long Nose Crocodile

Wood carving has always been part of Aboriginal culture and Djilpin artists continue this tradition. Men carved wood for many purposes – tools for hunting or gathering food, axes and knives for building shelters, spears and clubs for protection of their lives and territory, objects for ceremony and to mark sacred sites.

Hunting implements include the boomerang, woomera and spear. The woomera is a lever which helps to increase the speed and distance the spear travels. Clapsticks are used as percussion instruments by the Songmen to accompany dancing along with the didgeridoo (mago).

As well as the more functional carvings, artists portray animals and birds in wood, and these carvings are often painted. Ceremonial carvings include spirit creatures including mukuy (devil devils) and mimi.

Some fine mimi figures have been cast in bronze.

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Two Goannas

Djilpin Arts is an Aboriginal Corporation that promotes the maintenance, development and transmission of traditional cultural knowledge systems. Djilpin Arts specialises in live cultural performance, digital media, and produces the annual performance event – the Walking With Spirits Festival. Djilpin Arts also operates the Ghunmarn Culture Centre – home of the Blanasi Collection and fine art & craft for sale. Djilpin Arts also operates a cafe/gallery in Katherine where all works are sourced from the Ghunmarn Culture Centre. The Ghunmarn Culture Centre is in the Wugularr (Beswick) community of South East Arnhem Land. All artworks are made by local artists living in the community. Artwork reflects the traditional songs and stories that have been passed down through the generations for thousands of years.

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Goanna, Crocodile & Fish

This painting depicts three animals found in billabongs around Beswick. At top is a water goanna, in the middle is a freshwater crocodile, and at the bottom is a fish.

Raark or fine-line work is completed using a handmade traditional Jarlk grass brush.

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Four Fish

This piece by Frankie Lane depicts some common billabong fish in the local area. It is finished in traditional rarrk (fine cross-hatch painting style).

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Billabong Story

This painting depicts multiple species found at billabongs. All are gudwan dagga, or tasty tucker to eat!

Painting has been completed using a handmade Jarlk grass reed brush harvested from local billabongs and wet areas. Raark or fine line work is in Yirritja style and consists of three or four lines before alternating colours.

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Saratoga

This painting depicts a saratoga fresh water fish hiding among the lily pads and roots. Also included are some turtles along with raw lily roots about to shoot.

Painting has been completed using a handmade Jarlk grass reed brush harvested from billabongs and wet areas. Raark or fine line work is in Yirritja style and consists of three or four lines before alternating colour. Modern acrylic paint has been used.

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Three Fish

Painted in traditional rarrk (fine cross-hatch painting style).

Djilpin Arts is a not for profit Aboriginal Corporation that promotes the maintenance, development and transmission of traditional cultural knowledge systems.

Djilpin Arts specialises in art, live cultural performance, digital media, and produced the popular performance event – the Walking With Spirits Festival as well as Concerts on Country.

Djilpin Arts operates the Ghunmarn Culture Centre – home of the Blanasi Collection and offers fine arts & crafts for sale. Djilpin Arts operates an outlet in Katherine – Shed 5, where all works are sourced from Ghunmarn Culture Centre. Ghunmarn Culture Centre is in the Wugularr (Beswick) community of South East Arnhem Land.

All artworks are made by local artists living in the community. Artwork reflects the traditional songs and stories that have been passed down through the generations with a contemporary edge.  Fibre art is a special feature of Djilpin Arts as is its Gapu Series of fine art prints.