Stockroom2 of 549
Click to enlargec.1920 – 2006
- Region
- Eastern Desert
- Community
- Atnwengerrp
- Language group
- Anmatyerr (Anmatyerre); Alyawarre (Alyawarr)
Awelye Atnwengerrp, 2004
synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
148 x 121 cm
Price on application — enquire
- Provenance
- Dacou Gallery, Adelaide, SA Cooee Aboriginal Art Gallery, NSW
- Exhibited
- Home is where the art is, Cooee Aboriginal Art Gallery, NSW, September 2012 Cooee Art Gallery at Australian Galleries, Australian Galleries, Sydney, April 2016
- Literature / Illustrated
- Press: Street Corner, Sydney City; Australian Art Review; Daily Telegraph, Best Weekend
- Artwork story
- In 1999, when Minnie Pwerle began painting in her late 70’s, she immediately began filling with gestural depictions of her country, with surety and vigor in a way that reflects a strength of character built during a lifetime of dislocation and hardship. Her subject was Women’s Ceremony, Awelye, and the once abundant Bush Melon and Bush Melon Seed. In painting after painting Minnie boldly and self-assuredly depicted the body designs painted on to women’s breasts and limbs for the regular ceremonial revivification of her country. Her Awelye-Antnwengerrp paintings drew directly from these ceremonial practices, depicting bush melon, seed, and breast designs in powerful multi-coloured brushstrokes that built in to a structured patchwork of luminous colour most often emanating from within a darker under-layer. The energy of these vibrant colourful works seemed to capture the joy of coming across these sweet bush foods, now scarce and difficult to find. The bold linear patterns of stripes and curves throughout Minnie’s painting depicts the women's ceremonial body paint design. After smearing their bodies with animal fat, the women trace these designs onto their breasts, arms and thighs singing as each woman has a turn to be ‘painted up’. The songs relate to the Dreamtime stories of Ancestral Travel and other plants, animals and natural forces. Awelye-Women’s ceremony demonstrates respect for the land and in performing these ceremonies they ensure well being and happiness within the communities.