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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.
FEATURED
NATASHA BEASLEY
Bush Medicine | 30cm x 30cm
This is Natasha's country, Ampilatwatja, where bush medicines grow abundantly. They are widely used and the knowledge continues to be passed down to younger generations.
ESTHER hAYWOOD
Leaves | 120cm x 90cm
Esther's beautiful big, bold Leaves paintings feature dried medicinal leaves. These leaves are crushed, mixed with fat from kangaroos and echidnas and the resulting ointment applied topically to faces and hair so that its powerful aroma would linger and aid in the relief of colds.
GLORIA PETYARRE
Leaves | Pair / 60cm x 30cm each
While Gloria began painting Leaves because her Awelye (body paint) paintings began to look like 'leaves scattered on the ground', she is known to have attributed many of her subsequent paintings to medicinal leaves.
It was her mother who taught her how to make a medicinal ointment from these leaves. She would take fat from kangaroos and echidnas and mix it with crushed medicinal leaves.
"Mum was taking the kangaroo fat, and echidna [fat]. We been mixing 'em up".
The ointment was applied to their face and their hair so that its powerful aroma would linger and aid in the relief of colds.
Angelina Ngale
Atham-areny Story | 180cm x 90cm
This is one of Angelina's signature styles. It depicts a practice that falls within the supernatural realm of bush medicine, infusing the painting with a synthesis of spiritual and cultural wisdom.
Women are called upon by a nangara to sing and dance together to help heal someone touched by an Atham-areny spirit. Other ancestor spirits, ones that watch over the land and protect the people, are invoked during the process to assist.
LAURIE MORTON KNGWARREYE
Bush Medicine | 60cm x 45cm
The plant depicted in Laurie's painting can be found in the country around Amperlatwatye in Central Australia. It is used for soothing skin infections by way of an ointment, or mixed with water to make a drink to help with coughs and colds.
Painting bush medicine is important because it helps to maintain a strong knowledge and culture for the community.
ABIE LOY KEMARRE
Bush Medicine Leaf (Antywerleny) | 90cm x 60cm
The long narrow leaves of the antywerleny(Acacia tenuissima) are crushed and mixed with fat for use as a medicinal ointment, or soaked in water to make a medicinal wash.
Abie Loy says they still continue make this bush medicine.
ESTHER hAYWOOD
Leaves | 30cm x 30cm
This painting represents medicinal leaves. Traditionally, these leaves are crushed, mixed with fat from kangaroos and echidnas and the resulting ointment applied topically to faces and hair so that its powerful aroma would linger and aid in the relief of colds.
SANDRA TEECE PWERLE
Bush Medicine | 90cm x 30cm
"There are lots of different medicines, we know what their stories are, we learnt them from our parents and we teach these stories to our children.”
LAURIE MORTON
Bush Medicine | 90cm x 30cm
The three plants depicted in this piece are used for soothing skin infections by way of an ointment, or mixed with water to make a drink to help with coughs and colds.
Top to bottom: therapeyt, anwekety and kwenkart.
