Uku'ayeep (Water beetle)
1988
Medium
earth and natural pigments on sago palm petiole
Measurements
128.4 × 76.5 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
2001.415
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 a small black water beetle that moves in zigzag manner across the surface of forest pools. The insect is shown twice: once in the upper and the lower parts of the painting. The pairs of roundels represent the eyes, the black half-roundels outlined in concentric red, yellow and white semicircles that enclose each eye depict the insect’s wings. The black roundel outlined in white and yellow in the centre of the bark represent the insect’s prominent ‘anal orifice’