Collection Online

Aposiibiiruka (Butterfly)
1988

Medium
earth and natural pigments on sago palm petiole

Measurements
137.4 × 65.5 cm

Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased through the NGV Foundation with the assistance of The Thomas William Lasham Fund, Founder Benefactor, 2001
© Courtesy of the copyright holder

Gallery location
Not on display

Artwork Details

Place/s of Execution
Bangwis village, Washkuk Hills, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

Accession Number
2001.401

Department
Pacific Art

This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation

Physical description
The painting depicts one of the numerous types of butterflies (Aposiibiiruka) found in the Washkuk Hills, all of which are totems of the artist’s clan. This type has predominantly white markings, represented by the white in this design. The painting depicts in highly stylised forms three separate butterflies, each represented by a pair of white triangular forms. The three pairs of triangular forms represent the insects’ wings, two black roundels within each pair of wings; enclosed within bands of yellow and red, represent the insects’ ‘eyes’ with the U-shaped lines in red at the centre of the top and bottom of the design represent ‘noses’.