Unwrapping and discovering new artworks as they come in is one of our favourite parts of what we do here at Art Leven [formerly Cooee Art]. In the packing room today, we have works from Mirndiyan Gununa Artists on Mornington Island, Warakurna Art Centre and Martumili Artists. If you'd like a sneak preview, visit the gallery or contact our helpful team.
Region: North Queensland
Country: Lookati (Bentinck)
Community: Mornington Island
Language: Kayardild
Art Centre: Mirndiyan Gununa Artists
"This is my Country on Bentinck Island at Oak Tree Point. We call it Lookati in our Kayardild language. I was born here at Bilmee, Dog Story Place.“I paint the story places, all different places, true story places. We learned these from the old people. We learned what’s not for touching. They tell us what it means. We do this so we can pass these stories down to our grandchildren while we’re still alive. They love to hear our stories because of the olden time Dreamtime stories and dancing. There are lots of things that I remember to tell in stories.“I am happy to show other people My Country and Culture. It brings a smile to my face when I finish an artwork and see a part of me on it.”
- Birmuyingathi Maali Netta Loogatha
Region: Western Desert
Country: Ngaanyatjarra Lands
Community: Warakurna, Wanarn & Patjarr
Art Centre: Warakurna Art Centre
The Western Desert is considered by many to be the birthplace of the modern Aboriginal art movement - usually referring to the style many define as ‘dot paining’. It was in Papunya that the first group of Pintupi elders began using acrylic paint to record aspects of their culture on canvas in the early 1970s. Papunya was predominantly made up of Pintupi, Luritja, Walpiri, Arrernte, and Anmatyerre peoples, displaced by the Australian Government to the ‘settlement’ 240 km northwest of Alice Springs (Mparntwe).
"This painting is about Dorcas Bennett’s Mother’s country. Her mother, Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa, “Mrs Bennett” painted extensively on this subject and here Dorcas reflects on her mother’s work and country and her own connection to this part of the lands." Per Warakurna certificate
Region: Pilbara, WA
Country: Percival Lakes, WA
Community: Parnpajinya (Newman), Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu, Kunawarritji, Irrungadji and Warralong
Art Centre: Martumili Artists
"Pirrkili is a rockhole surrounded in all directions by permanent tali (sandhills), located east of Nyayartakujarra (Lake Dora) and south of Punmu Aboriginal community. Linyji (claypans) such as Pirrkili were traditionally visited more often during the wantajarra (wet season) when they were filled with water.
"This site lies within Nyanjilpayi’s ngurra (home Country, camp) through her uncle and grandmother, and forms part of the area which she knew intimately and travelled extensively in her youth. 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 site, a large area of Country, or even a modern house. 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. This knowledge is traditionally passed intergenerationally through family connections. Painting ngurra, and in so doing sharing the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories and physical characteristics of that place, has today become an important means of cultural maintenance. Physical maintenance of one’s ngurra, like cultural maintenance, ensures a site’s wellbeing, and is a responsibility of the people belonging to that area." per Martumili Artists certificate.
