Acrylic on linen

Signed certificate of authenticity.

This artwork will be on display at the exhibition 'Echoes of Tradition' at Bluethumb's Melbourne gallery from June 28th - August 14th.




This painting depicts the Marl Jukurrpa (red kangaroo [Macropus rufus]
Dreaming) from Yarnardilyi and Jurnti (Mt Dennison area). "Marlu' are
highly valued as a food source by Warlpiri people. In the story of this
painting an old ancestral kangaroo named Warlawee, who made its
camp at Jurnti and moves from place to place - hunting during the day
and returning at night to the camp, which it has formed by digging
depressions in the soft ground. Warlawee traveled around large areas of
country looking for their preferred foods, which include yukuri' (fresh
green growth) and yulkardi' (desert cucumber [Mukia micrantha]) a low-
growing herb found underneath 'mulga' trees which is used by Warlpiri
people for medicinal purposes. He is thinking about having a ceremony
for men. Women are not permitted to dance in this ceremony. This
Jukurrpa is the custodial responsibility of Japaljarri/Jungarrayi men and
Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings
traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites
and other elements. Concentric circles are often used in depictions of
this story to represent the rocks at Yarnardilyi. The arc shapes depict the
kangaroo's camp in the Jurnti area and 'E' and hooked shapes usually
depict the "'marlu wirliya" (kangaroo fore and hind footprints) while long,
straight lines represent the 'marlu ngirnti' (kangaroo tail tracks).