Mungili Claypan “When I was young, walk around, play around, slide around on the mud. Big one [claypan] and little ones on the side. And the white gums, [where] we would get witchetty grubs” – Marlene Anderson In this work Marlene depicts a claypan located in Mungili, the small outstation Read more…
Untitled “It’s their home for them, real ngurra (home Country, camp). Real ngurra is where they been born and grow up.” – Corban Clause Williams The Western Desert term ‘ngurra’ is hugely versatile in application. Broadly denoting birthplace and belonging, ngurra can refer to a body of water, a camp Read more…
Sea Turtle (Goolil) “When Martu paint, it’s like a map. Martu draw story on the ground and on the canvas, and all the circle and line there are the hunting areas and different waters and tracks where people used to walk, and [some you] can’t cross, like boundaries. So nowadays Read more…
Flower Pot “When Martu paint, it’s like a map. Martu draw story on the ground and on the canvas, and all the circle and line there are the hunting areas and different waters and tracks where people used to walk, and [some you] can’t cross, like boundaries. So nowadays you Read more…
Untitled – Sylvia Wilson How did you get to this style of painting? “Do you mean, what have I done with my life? (chuckles to herself) To me these paintings are a sense of energy. So if I see someone and they’re happy, I paint a happy vibe. Cos their Read more…
Birriliburu (Pirrilipuru)- Miriam Atkins Birriliburu is Miriam’s family’s ngurra (home Country, camp), at the southern end of Martu Country and incorporating Wells 1 to 9 of the Canning Stock Route. Birriliburu lies at the intersection of the Little Sandy and Gibson Deserts of Western Australia, and is characterised largely by Read more…
Untitled “I was learning about painting from school and from watching Bamba’s [Corban Clause Williams] mob painting. Bamba is my little brother. I like a painting about Country, painting my grandfather’s Country- Kaalpa (Kalypa, Canning Stock Route Well 23). I also like to go hunting with my family.” – Robina Clause Robina is part Read more…
Untitled “When Martu paint, it’s like a map. Martu draw story on the ground and on the canvas, and all the circle and line there are the hunting areas and different waters and tracks where people used to walk, and [some you] can’t cross, like boundaries. So nowadays you see Read more…
Untitled This is Miriam’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 physical Read more…
Waterholes This work depicts a waterhole within the artists’ ngurra (home Country, camp), typically represented with circular forms. Waterholes are sites that require maintenance, including digging to increase flow, clearing out surrounding growth, and cleaning up after sullying by camels or cattle. During the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) period, knowledge Read more…