Warmurrungu
2011
Medium
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Measurements
207.7 × 149.1 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, NGV Supporters of Indigenous Art, 2013
© Nyarapayi Giles, courtesy of Tjarlirli art, Tjukurla
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Nyarapayi’s paintings represent Warmarrungu, a site near her birthplace, Karku, where ochre is gathered for ceremonies. In their creation story, many emus journeyed into rockholes as depicted in this painting, some transforming into trees. The ochre is carefully dug up with a stick, and Nyarapayi paints the emu spirits released during the ceremony, allowing them to return to physical form. Her work traces the emus’ travels, marking the rockholes where they stopped along their journey. A continued theme throughout Nyarapayi’s practice is this Dreaming, telling the story of the emus’ movement before time began.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Tjukurla, Western Australia
Inscription
inscribed (inverted) in fibre-tipped pen on reverse l.l.: Tjarlirli Arts
inscribed (inverted) in fibre-tipped pen on reverse l.c.: Nyarapayi Giles
Accession Number
2013.41
Department
First Nations Australia
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation