Gerdewoon
2024
Medium
silk, lace, linen, lace, glass beads, gold foil
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family, 2025
© Warringarri Arts
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
These couture gowns draw inspiration from the sacred native plants that are central to Miriwoong life and culture in the Kimberley, Western Australia. Peggy Griffiths’ Jilinybeng jardang draws upon the significance of the spinifex plant and the bush cucumber, recurring motifs in her work. Both plants are indicative of the wet season in the Kimberley, and Griffiths’ garment showcases how Country nurtures culture and Community, exemplified by the way the sculptural construction of the bush cucumber envelops the body of the wearer. Cathy Ward’s Gerdewoon is a celebration of the physical and spiritual nourishment of the sacred gerdewoon (boab tree). In the Kimberley’s arid climate, gerdewoon serve as both natural reservoirs, storing water within their thick trunks, and as gathering spaces for Ceremony and cultural practice.