Description
Composition: Hand dyed wool and cotton
Size: 61 x 91 cm (24 x 36 inches)
Features:
- Hand embroidered/chain-stitched
- All natural fibres – embroidered wool on cotton canvas
- Fair Trade certified
- Limited edition – individually numbered
- Certificate of Authenticity supplied with each kilim
- Royalties paid to the artist/family on every sale
- Hard wearing
- Back has non-slip surface
- Each kilim has flap on the rear for ease of hanging with dowel/rod
- Matching cushion covers are also available
Chain-stitched kilims are a traditional rug/soft furnishings making technique from Kashmir. As people sat on the floor they were both homewares and decoration. As many artworks are painted on the ground or 3D surfaces/bodies most of the images do not have a set orientation so can also be hung portrait or landscape if preferred.
The artist: Liddy Napanangka Walker
” I paint my father Japangardi’s Dreaming and my grandfather’s Dreaming. Mt Theo is my father’s country and that’s what I’m painting the special Dreamings from. The Dreamings I paint are bush tomato, goanna….Goanna likes to fight and is a lover boy. And I paint seed pods and bush potato and hopping mouse. There are lots of stories…I paint strongly.”
Liddy was born in 1925 at Mt Doreen, and spent her younger years living with her family in bush camps. She regularly visited her country around Mt Theo, west of Yuendumu. She lived in Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community located 290 kms north-west of Alice Springs, in the NT of Australia, since it was first established and worked in the community in various pastoral care roles including cooking for the sick or the elderly. She started painting on canvas not long after Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, was established in 1985 and Liddy became one of the most important members. Liddy painted her father’s Jukurrpa stories, Dreaming stories which relate directly to her land, its features and animals. These stories were passed down to her by her father and her grandfather and their parents before them for millennia.
About the design: Wakirlpirri Jukurrpa (Dogwood Dreaming)
The main motif of this painting depicts the wakirlpirri (dogwood [Acacia coriacea]) tree. Wakirlpirri is a very useful tree that grows on the sides of creek beds and near mulga trees. The seeds of this tree can be eaten raw or cooked on the fire. A deliciously sweet drink called yinjirrpi is made from the seeds when they have been dried. The wood can be used to make weapons such as karli (boomerangs) and dancing boards for ceremonies. It is also good wood for burning on the fire because rain cannot extinguish burning Wakirlpirri wood. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. This Jukurrpa travels from Jarrarda-Jarrayi through to Puturlu (Mount Theo) west of Yuendumu. This Jukurrpa belongs to Japanangka/Japangardi men and to Napanangka/Napangardi women.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS:
Do not put place/use in direct sunlight or colors may fade. To clean – dry cleaning recommended. Can be ironed on a wool steam setting.
About the Better World Arts chainstitch kilim products
These beautiful, unique textiles are a cross-cultural collaboration combining Aboriginal designs and traditional Kashmiri rug-making techniques. Chain stitched, using hand dyed wool, each is a completely handmade piece. A more empowering way to work, this brings many direct benefits to the artists’ and their community. Control and ownership of intellectual property are also maintained. Purchase of these products guarantees a direct return to the Aboriginal artist’s family and their community.
