Noŋgirrŋa Marawili
Baratjala, 2022
The artist represents Baratjala, a special Madarrpa clan estate on the mainland where as a young girl she camped with her father, Mundukul (Lightning Snake) and his many wives. The work enlivened with brilliant fuchsia print toner, shows the rock set in deep water between the electric curse that Mundukul, the Lightning Snake spits into the sky in the form of lightning, and the spray of sea trying to shift the immovable rock foundation of the Madarrpa. Yurr’yunna is the word used to describe the rough waves overtopping the rock and spray flying into the sky. It is said that the serpents spit lightning – guykthun. The extended meaning of guykthun includes to make something sacred or ctaboo through saying magic words.This work shows the sanctifying words being spat across the sky in lightning form . The lightning’s power hits the seaspray nrising from where it has just smashed into the rock. The energies captured in this work encapsulate those of a Top End Wet Season.The artist also represents dunbarnacles that cling to the rock and mekawu or rock oysters.
- Artist / Maker
- Noŋgirrŋa Marawili (c. 1939—2023)
- Creation Date
- 2022
- Place created
- Australia - Arnhem Land
- Collection
- University Art Collection
- Subjects
- Art and Design - Paintings
- Materials used
- earth pigments and fuchsia toner on Stringybark
- Dimensions
(H x W x D) - 102.5 × 61 cm
- Credit line
- The University of Melbourne Art Collection. Purchased, 2023
- Accession number
- 2023.006.001 Request Access
