About the Artists
Our vibrant and dynamic artists are from the Utopia region; a large remote area of Central Australia which, until recently, had no government funded art centre. As a result of their pioneering efforts, they have one of the strongest and richest art histories.
Bush Medicine Paintings
There are many different types of bush medicines found in Utopia. Some plants, like ilpengk, are crushed, mixed with fat and applied to the skin. Others are boiled and inhaled, slowly chewed, or occasionally drunk. Some saps are directly smeared on the skin, and there are barks that are smoked. Healing rituals are also an important part of bush medicine, especially when the ailment is considered to be caused by the supernatural.
This collection of illustrative works impart tribal wisdom on a selection of bush medicines, and demonstrates how they are still an important practice today.
