Burrkunda, dress
2017
- Medium
- synthetic polymer paint on cotton
- Measurements
- 114.0 cm (centre back) 21.2 cm (sleeve length)
- Place/s of Execution
- Gununa, Mornington Island, Queensland
- Inscription
- label, centre back neckline, woven in blue and purple on black acetate: Mi’art / Mornington Island
- Accession Number
- 2017.1230
- Department
- First Nations Australia
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Krystyna Campbell-Pretty, 2017 - Gallery location
- Gallery 3
Ground Level, NGV Australia - About this work
-
This work was produced by the Kaiadilt female artists from Mornington Island Arts in collaboration with Meriam Mir fashion designer, Grace Lillian Lee, who transformed their paintings into wearable art. The result is an energetic and vibrant body of work that signalled a new direction for the artists’ practice. Speaking about these unique dresses, the collective says:
The old days our mob made permanent markings on our body, burrkunda, to connect us to kandu, our blood relations, our family. Today, we continue to make markings on paper, canvas and now fabric. Together we make these markings, strengthening our connection to family and country. Today, we can share this, with a bigger world.