Description
Medium: Screenprint
Edition Size: 75
Published: July, 1998
Created: October, 1997
Printer: Shaun Poustie
Studio: Jilamara Arts & Crafts Milikapiti, NT
Image size: 435 x 630
Paper size: 560 x 760
Paper: Magnani Pescia 2020
Tiwi art is inextricably linked to Tiwi creation stories and is often characterised by an abstract mixture of lines and dots originating from the decorative body paint used by the Tiwi during ceremonies. This contemporary work rarely has a narrative story associated with it, however, sculptural work often portrays key characters from the creation stories.
Pedro Wonaeamirri, current vice presidentof Jilamara, describes Tiwi art in the following manner, “it is about Tiwi life and Tiwi culture, Purukuparli first started up the Tiwi culture by singing and dancing, this was at the beginning of Tiwi art and life, east of Melville Island”.
All the artists of Jilamara have unique and individual styles, some adhere very closely to Tiwi traditions by employing a wooden comb to apply dots to their canvas or sculpture, others use coconut sticks and some use contemporary western brushes to make their individual marks. Transcending all these individual styles are characteristics which are unique to the Tiwi artists from Jilamara on Melville Island.
