 |
|
|
 Mary GibsonNgipi WardPatricia WardEsther GilesJanie WardMatjiwa Jones |
Gumbya GirgibaNorma GilesDorothy WardMargaret JenningsPulpurru Davies |
Yunpalara (Lake Blair) a large clay pan in the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve is Coiley Campbell’s country. It was the destination for the first of several painting trips during June and July of 2005 and although it was to be a ladies group painting, it was Mr Campbell who applied the first marks to canvas, turning into the centre piece, the concentric circle in the middle.
Initially, not a lot of painting happened but there was lots of hunting.
The ladies all worked from the edge inwards and it was Ngipi Ward who broke out and stretched her coloured tentacles towards the centre.
The work started to take more shape on the second week long camp at Mina Mina, about 15 km from Patjarr.
After a week at Mina Mina the clouds rolled in and it was a black horizon. Camp was packed up quickly, everything was thrown in the back of the troopie and the trailer, and any car that was there, the painting was thrown on top, wet with paint and tied to the trailer.
Back in Patjarr it started to rain just as we arrived. The rain settled in for three days. The canvas was unrolled in the old tin house used as an Art Centre. Two light globes where installed, blankets where brought in, the heater was taken from the office, the doors and windows where closed, ladies came and went from the building.
After a week at Mina Mina the clouds rolled in and it was a black horizon. Camp was packed up quickly, everything was thrown in the back of the troopie and the trailer, and any car that was there, the painting was thrown on top, wet with paint and tied to the trailer.
Back in Patjarr it started to rain just as we arrived. The rain settled in for three days. The canvas was unrolled in the old tin house used as an Art Centre. Two light globes where installed, blankets where brought in, the heater was taken from the office, the doors and windows where closed, ladies came and went from the building.
After three days the rain passed and the winter desert sky was crystal clear and the sun was at its watery best. From the closed doors of the art centre emerged a nearly finished painting followed by excited ladies. A sheltered place in the sun next to an empty shed was found, the painting was laid out and all hands were on deck.
Until, over a period of three months and several trips to different country, the work was completed to the smell of cooking chops and smiling proud faces.
The Kayili Canvas is part of the Kayili Artists permanent collection. It has been on display during the 2007 Perth International Festival as well as at the Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne for the Power & Beauty exhibition, 2007/08.
To view full size image of the work, please click here…
The Kayili Canvas is part of the Kayili Artists permanent collection. It has been on display during the 2007 Perth International Festival as well as at the Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne for the Power & Beauty exhibition, 2007/08.
To view full size image of the work, please click here…
Yunpalara is part of Ngirntaka Tjukurpa
"Yunpalara is a big clay-pan (pilkilyi) swamp surrounded by tali (sandhills) to the west of Patjarr. There is a creek coming in from one side. This story travels east, heading towards Tjinytjira. Ngirntaka (the perentie goanna) from Well 33 came through and made Yunpalara on his way through here with a large sweep of his tail, when he camped. The man Yurla was travelling east at the same time, travelling parallel, chasing the Seven Sisters but he never went to Tjinytjira, he went another way to Kanamarra.
The clay-pan shown in the canvas is represented by the black space which has the shape of the head and neck of the ngirntaka". – section painted by Matjiwa Jones
The clay-pan shown in the canvas is represented by the black space which has the shape of the head and neck of the ngirntaka". – section painted by Matjiwa Jones
"At Tjinytjira, west of Patjarr, there was a very large gathering of Karlaya (emu) ancestors. They came from all directions to conduct ceremonies.Tjinytjira is a big, big swamp with many, deep creeks that run through the area, creeks that were created by Karlaya running in all directions, but now there was a gathering and camping of the visiting emus who had come from all over. A big group from Wiluna was there. At Ningka, half way to Tjinytjira, this group has tried to make a big swamp but had been scared away by Warnampi, two water snakes who were coming along. The Warnampi didn't intend the emus any harm but they were frightened anyway and ran away.
Nirntaka, the perentie goanna ancestor was travelling in from the north. Along the way he was met by a willy-willy girl, who was travelling alone too. The girl joined him and told him that the Karlaya at Tjinytjira were talking about him rudely. They were saying that his face was flat, that his eyes were strange and that his tail was long and funny.
'Everyone is talking about you the wrong way, they don't like you, that emu mob, they're trying to have an argument with you!'. The girl said she was warning him because she felt sorry for him (her uncle). But the girl was trying to trick him into starting a fight! She was up to no good. Ngirntaka was enraged and felt sick in his stomach. He walked around and around looking for a camp until he found a huge cave at Manapuyul. The girl camped with him and shared his fire at Manapuyul. She was frightened of all the Karlayas.
All the Karlaya who were local to Tjinytjira were the custodians of the area and they had lots of babies and spread out. As they spread out, they made the swamp bigger and bigger. The place shown right in the centre is Arthur's brother's place, his home but he has passed away.
The next morning, Ngirntaka told the willy-willy girl to hide her face and don't look while I run on my own to tjiytjira and fight the karlayas. He headed off slowly at first but picked up speed as he got closer. He ran faster and faster towards Tjinytjira, he wasn't worried that there was such a huge mob there, he wasn't scared at all, he just kept going faster. As he ran he made a river and it grew bigger and bigger as he ran faster. When he came to the Karlaya who were from the east and south and confronted them, they said 'We don't know!, we never talked about you! Sorry! Sorry!'. They said maybe it was the group over there from the west. Ngirntaka turned around so sharply that his tail made a big dust storm. He ran towards the emus from the west and they scattered in all directions, running for their lives. One lady from the group ran quickly and didn't have time to pick up her baby. She left it behind and kept going as fast as she could. Ngirntaka chased her a long way and caught her. He finished her off there and then, he killed her and ate her. Then he went back and found her baby and ate it as well".- from Arthur Robertson painting story
Nirntaka, the perentie goanna ancestor was travelling in from the north. Along the way he was met by a willy-willy girl, who was travelling alone too. The girl joined him and told him that the Karlaya at Tjinytjira were talking about him rudely. They were saying that his face was flat, that his eyes were strange and that his tail was long and funny.
'Everyone is talking about you the wrong way, they don't like you, that emu mob, they're trying to have an argument with you!'. The girl said she was warning him because she felt sorry for him (her uncle). But the girl was trying to trick him into starting a fight! She was up to no good. Ngirntaka was enraged and felt sick in his stomach. He walked around and around looking for a camp until he found a huge cave at Manapuyul. The girl camped with him and shared his fire at Manapuyul. She was frightened of all the Karlayas.
All the Karlaya who were local to Tjinytjira were the custodians of the area and they had lots of babies and spread out. As they spread out, they made the swamp bigger and bigger. The place shown right in the centre is Arthur's brother's place, his home but he has passed away.
The next morning, Ngirntaka told the willy-willy girl to hide her face and don't look while I run on my own to tjiytjira and fight the karlayas. He headed off slowly at first but picked up speed as he got closer. He ran faster and faster towards Tjinytjira, he wasn't worried that there was such a huge mob there, he wasn't scared at all, he just kept going faster. As he ran he made a river and it grew bigger and bigger as he ran faster. When he came to the Karlaya who were from the east and south and confronted them, they said 'We don't know!, we never talked about you! Sorry! Sorry!'. They said maybe it was the group over there from the west. Ngirntaka turned around so sharply that his tail made a big dust storm. He ran towards the emus from the west and they scattered in all directions, running for their lives. One lady from the group ran quickly and didn't have time to pick up her baby. She left it behind and kept going as fast as she could. Ngirntaka chased her a long way and caught her. He finished her off there and then, he killed her and ate her. Then he went back and found her baby and ate it as well".- from Arthur Robertson painting story
The Kayili Canvas is part of the Kayili Artists permanent collection, but is available on loan by request.
It has been on display during the 2007 Perth International Festival as well as at the Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne for the Power & Beauty exhibition