Synthetic Polymer on Linen
90.0 X 120.0cm
Community: Papunya
This painting depicts a big mob of women coming from west towards Kiwirrkurra. The circles are rockholes for drinking water. Ningurra shows body paint designs used by women while performing sacred ceremonial women’s business. The centre design represents the site surrounded by hills in the area of the artist’s birthplace. This is her mother’s dreaming and also Napaltjarri story.
This dreaming has been painted as an aerial view, in the tradition of ancient sand drawings. The word “country” means a place plus Dreaming. For indigenous people, a locality including the spirits that reside there is what they call “country”. This image represents more than just a map to the artist; it is also about the spirit of that country.