Grace Laraidbi

2019, woven sculpture
pandanas spiralis and natural dyes
172 x 67 cm
Cat No. 133-19 

Kun-waral: Spirit Shadows
A collaboration between Bábbarra Women’s Centre and Maningrida Arts & Culture 

Grace Laradjbi is the daughter of senior fibre artist Lulu Laradjbi whose partner was the acclaimed bark painter Mick Kubarkku. Grace makes2D pandanus panels and sculptures often depicting barramundi, stingrays and yawkyawks (female water spirits).Her works are characterised by strong designs, intricate technique and bold use of colour. Grace uses gun-menama (pandanus spiralis) to create her works. To prepare the pandanus the inner leaves of the plant are collected using a hook. Each V-shaped leaf is first split in half along its spine. After removing the sharp spines, the two surfaces of the leaf are then split away from other. After this preparation, the pandanus is boiled in a billycan with plant materials to dye the fibre. Like her contemporaries, Grace only uses natural dyes and achieves enormous variation.

– MANINGRIDA ARTS & CULTURE