This design represents the most important geographical feature of the Western Deserts (Great Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Little Sandy Desert), being the east/west parallel sand dunes which can run unbroken for hundreds of kilometres and in places attaining heights of 30 metres.
Esther paints her mother's and father's Dreaming and the traditional homelands associated with her ancestral heritage. These include the sites of Yumari, Punkilpirri and Tjalili. These sites are important for ceremonies and as reliable sources for water and food plants. Esther’s works incorporate the sand-hills (tuli) and rock escarpments (puli) of her traditional homeland.
The representation of landforms is associated with the physical and spiritual connection to the earth and can be seen in decoration such as body scarifying, ground designs and incised wooden implements.
The bold and strong flowing lines of this painting on the deep red background gives the viewer a good sense of the immense scope of the Australian Western desert and its “Tuli Tjuta” (many sand-hills).
Provenance
Painted for Yanda Aboriginal Art, Alice Springs, Australia
Private collection, The Netherlands
Exhibited
'Dreaming with Your Eyes Open', SmithDavidson Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2023
'ART & INTERIOR Modern Aboriginal Art', Marcel Wolterinck, Laren, The Netherlands, 2014/2015
Literature
'TRA, Edge of Becoming', Palazzo Fortuny, 54th edition La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy, p. 77 (illus.),
2011
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 us for additional information