Thank you for supporting a desert artist
Thank you for supporting a desert artist
Subscribe to receive your exclusive preview of exhibitions prior to opening.
You will be able to view and purchase exhibition artworks before they go live.
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.
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.
The short parallel pines in this painting represent women’s ceremonial body paint designs(Awelye) for Mountain Devil Lizard (Arnkerrthe) Dreaming. The longer lines stretching across the other direction represent the tracks along the Arnkerrthe's journey, as well as it's thorny covered spine.
The Arnkerrthe is a gentle little lizard covered in thorns for protection and has the ability to camouflage itself by changing colours.
In the Dreamtime, it holds a sac of ochre in its neck. The women smear their bodies with animal fat then trace these linear patterns onto their breasts, arms and thighs with this ochre; singing as each woman takes her turn to be ‘painted–up’ for ceremony. The traditional colours used for this ceremony are ochre red, yellow and white.
The women's songs relate to the ancestral travels of the Arnkerrthe as it makes the long journey north to Waramungu country.
Name: Nancy Kunoth
Skin name: Petyarre (also spelled Pitjara)
Language group: Anmatyerre
Country: Atnangkere
Region: Utopia, Central Australia
Born: c. 1934
Dec: 2009
Read Nancy Kunoth Petyarre's full bio »
Lost Legends exhibition I 3 Feb - 31 Mar 2017
This painting comes unstretched and rolled in a tube.
Please allow 2-5 days for dispatch on this piece followed by express shipping (1-3 week days for domestic shipment or 4-10 week days for international shipment).
See our full shipping terms and information »
See our FAQ's on purchasing and caring for your painting »
Or contact us and we'll be happy to help!
Catalogue number: 35707
Subscribe to our VIP group for new arrivals, exhibition previews + special features ♥