Collection Online
Medium
earth pigments on Stringybark
Measurements
126.5 × 66.5 cm
Place/s of Execution
Elcho Island, Northern Territory
Inscription
inscribed (inverted) in black felt-tipped pen on reverse l.l.: MR/82/GA-02/WWIII
inscribed (inverted) in black fibre-tipped pen on reverse u.r.: 6
Accession Number
1996.382
Department
First Nations Australia
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Dr Milton Roxanas, Governor, 1996
© The Estate of Peter Wadaymu
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation
Gallery location
Not on display
Physical description
The artist shows two freshwater goanna emerging from a sacred well created by the Djang'kawu. The horizontal bands patterned with diagonals represent overflowing water covered with wild banana leaves. The dots in the upper section also represent water flowing between waterholes. The Djang'kawu saw fish in this locality and sang about them, making them sacred to the Ngaymil clan.