Jirtaka, Swordfish, 2002

114 x 53.5 cm

Est. $2,500 – $3,500

Hammer $1,800

Provenance: Tiwi Designs, NT, Cat No. TD#171-02 Cooee Aboriginal Art Gallery, NSW Private Collection, NSW
Artwork story: Jean Baptiste, was just 14 years of age when she married the renowned dancer, singer and the pre-eminent Tiwi artist of his time, Declan Apuatimi. During their life together they raised fourteen children and, as she watched him create poles for important Tiwi ceremonies, he taught her how to mix ochres and paint. Jean's beautiful and personal paintings conform with the twin conventions of Tiwi art - moving between the figurative depiction of ceremonial objects, and body painting designs (Jilamara). She inherited the right to depict jirtaka (sawfish) from Declan. However, her own personal interpretation abandoned tight formal composition by magnifying design elements, as exemplified in this particular artwork. She was a meticulous painter who took great care to keep her ochres pure, thus ensuring that her paintings emanated the true power of her timeless Tiwi tradition.

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Sale 1 · Lot 62

c. 1940 – 2013

114 x 53.5 cm

Est. $2,500 – $3,500

Hammer $1,800

Provenance: Tiwi Designs, NT, Cat No. TD#171-02 Cooee Aboriginal Art Gallery, NSW Private Collection, NSW
Artwork story: Jean Baptiste, was just 14 years of age when she married the renowned dancer, singer and the pre-eminent Tiwi artist of his time, Declan Apuatimi. During their life together they raised fourteen children and, as she watched him create poles for important Tiwi ceremonies, he taught her how to mix ochres and paint. Jean's beautiful and personal paintings conform with the twin conventions of Tiwi art - moving between the figurative depiction of ceremonial objects, and body painting designs (Jilamara). She inherited the right to depict jirtaka (sawfish) from Declan. However, her own personal interpretation abandoned tight formal composition by magnifying design elements, as exemplified in this particular artwork. She was a meticulous painter who took great care to keep her ochres pure, thus ensuring that her paintings emanated the true power of her timeless Tiwi tradition.