In this painting Minnie depicts the traditional Body Painting used during women’s ceremony. The people of Utopia used body paint designs for corroborees or ceremonies, celebrating/depicting all aspects of traditional lore. Each clan has its own totem/Dreaming story an the body paint designs are usually the same for each depiction. Long ago, the paint was made up from earth coloured ochres and resins, charcoal and white ash from the campfire were also used. These days acrylic paint has replaced these natural pigments and the designs have become more colourful, still retaining the same basic shapes.
Her work often described as ‘gestural abstraction’ draws inspiration from the ancient cultural traditions that used visual gestures and pigments for body paintings. This way, she expresses the connection to the country and her ancestors, but her iconic style also shows incredible contemporary sparkle.
This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Aboriginal Gallery of Dreaming.
Provenance
The Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings, Melbourne, Australia
Private collection, The Netherlands
Please note that all First Nations Art is created from a so called ‘Birds Eye’ view. This means that the paintings can be hung either horizontally as well as vertically.
SmithDavidson Gallery represents a wide range of Australian First Nations Art. Please contact for additional information.