Saltwater Crocodile in Freshwater, c.1990

natural earth pigments on stringy bark

100.5 x 46.5 cm

$5,000

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Provenance: Painted for Reg Mason of Arnhem Land Art, Oenpelli, NT Private Collection NSW Accompanied by a letter describing the work signed by Reg Mason
Artwork story: Saltwater crocodiles - apex predators - are both revered and feared across Northern Australia. In this dynamic bark painting, Bobby Nganjmirra captures the charged moment of the crocodile entering freshwater - disrupting ecological balance and, with it, social and spiritual order. In this work, Nganjmirra's traditional clan rarrk patterns merge an anatomical study with ancestral power. More than a natural being, the crocodile is archaic, embodying ancient stories of transformation and consequence. A revered Kunwinjku elder and ceremonial lawman, Nganjmirra's practice is grounded in lived knowledge and inherited responsibility. His crocodiles are icons of potency, rendered with reverence and formal clarity.

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1915 – 1992

natural earth pigments on stringy bark

100.5 x 46.5 cm

$5,000

Secure payment via Stripe. Prices in AUD.

Provenance: Painted for Reg Mason of Arnhem Land Art, Oenpelli, NT Private Collection NSW Accompanied by a letter describing the work signed by Reg Mason
Artwork story: Saltwater crocodiles - apex predators - are both revered and feared across Northern Australia. In this dynamic bark painting, Bobby Nganjmirra captures the charged moment of the crocodile entering freshwater - disrupting ecological balance and, with it, social and spiritual order. In this work, Nganjmirra's traditional clan rarrk patterns merge an anatomical study with ancestral power. More than a natural being, the crocodile is archaic, embodying ancient stories of transformation and consequence. A revered Kunwinjku elder and ceremonial lawman, Nganjmirra's practice is grounded in lived knowledge and inherited responsibility. His crocodiles are icons of potency, rendered with reverence and formal clarity.