PHYLLIS THOMAS - DAIWAL (BODY PAINT)
PHYLLIS THOMAS
DAIWAL (BODY PAINT), 2008
100 x 100 cm
Natural Earth Pigments on Canvas
REGION
Kununurra, WA
PROVENANCE
Our Land Gallery, WA
Private Collection, NSW
Cooee Art Leven, NSW
Accompanied by a certificate including a photo of the artist with the artwork from Our Land Gallery
STORY
Phyllis has painted a depiction of the Daiwal (Barramundi) scales that are an important part of the Kitja Women's Culture. The Elder women often paint this design in the ochre on the top half of their bodies for dancing, cultural meetings and ceremonies. The work is significant and traditional, with the barramundi scales painted in white against a black ochre background.
The Barramundi Dreaming sites are secret places where the Kitja Women meet to discuss the Law, initiate the young women and pass their culture to the young ones. One if the favorite Ngarrangkarni (Dreamtime) stories is told by the young women that long time ago, the women were fishing for Barramundi with woven nets. One escaped from the net and flew right over the Kitja land, dropping its scales to make the diamonds in the area. It is believed that the Tradition of the Barramundi Dreaming is far deeper than this story.
EXHIBITED
"That's True that's Creation", August 2022, Cooee Art | Redfern
ARTIST PROFILE
