Artist: John Gurruwiwi Mandjuwi | Title: Wurrkadi | Year: June 1998 | Medium: natural earth pigments on bark | Dimensions: 66 x 127 cm
PROVENANCE
Elcho Island Art & Craft Cat No. 11/1931/MAN
Private Collection NSW
Accompanied by an original certificate of authenticity from Elcho Island Art & Craft
ARTWORK STORY
This painting is my totem and I am part of Galpu clan. The painting is about the Wurrkadi (larvae of the Horned Beatle, grubs, maggots). The Wurrkadi come out from the ground because they smell the yams (yams represented by coloured crosshatching design) or food and eat it. The Birrtji Gunirr, the dots along the straight lines represent the hills and the edible clay. The grubs spit on the sand, this is shown by the white crosshatching. In the middle are black circles, these represent the bodies of the old, dead grubs and also the coals from the fire where Yolngu (aboriginal people of North-east Arnhem Land) were sitting around eating yams. The dots around them represent the young grubs.
PROVENANCE
Elcho Island Art & Craft Cat No. 11/1931/MAN
Private Collection NSW
Accompanied by an original certificate of authenticity from Elcho Island Art & Craft
ARTWORK STORY
This painting is my totem and I am part of Galpu clan. The painting is about the Wurrkadi (larvae of the Horned Beatle, grubs, maggots). The Wurrkadi come out from the ground because they smell the yams (yams represented by coloured crosshatching design) or food and eat it. The Birrtji Gunirr, the dots along the straight lines represent the hills and the edible clay. The grubs spit on the sand, this is shown by the white crosshatching. In the middle are black circles, these represent the bodies of the old, dead grubs and also the coals from the fire where Yolngu (aboriginal people of North-east Arnhem Land) were sitting around eating yams. The dots around them represent the young grubs.