Bush Medicine
2 mar
1/3 Vickers Street
Parap
“The landscape changes during the different seasons in the year. I paint the dried flowers and bushes from last season as well as the new plants that come after the rain. These plants have special meanings and uses for us. I have been taught how to read the country, and now I teach my children these skills.”
Artists from the central Australian community of Ampilatwatja paint Arreth, meaning ‘strong bush medicine’. Plants and animals crucial to the ecological system of this region near Alice Springs are depicted amongst delicate layers of fine dotting, sustaining a deep connection to country.
Bush Medicine includes paintings from a selection of artists working from the Artists of Ampilatwatja art centre.
IMAGE: Julieanne Ngwarraye Morton, My Country and Bush Medicine Plants, (detail) 2018
Joyrene Ngwarraye Holmes
Alana Ngwarraye Holmes
Julieanne Ngwarraye Morton
Rosie Ngwarraye Ross
Jean Ngwarraye Long
Rita Pitjara Beasley
Rita Pitjara Beasley
Robina Pitjara Jones
Edie Kemarre Holmes
Denise Ngwarraye Bonney
Daisy Kemarre Moss
Jean Ngwarraye Long
2018, acrylic on linen
107 x 76 cm
Cat No. 702-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
The seeds are collected under a tree by laying a tarp on the ground and hitting the tree continuously until most of the seeds have fallen.
Once the seeds are collected they are then ground with a mortar and grinding stone.
A number of these grinding stones have been in families for generations. Once seeds are ground, water is added and mixed until a damper like substance is formed and placed under the coals until cooked.
Daisy Kemarre Moss
2018, acrylicon linen
61 x 61 cm
Cat No. 738-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories sit.
Daisy has painted her Mother's country, "Kngwarraye" country. Kngwarraye is one of the four main skin names of Ampilatwatja.
Bush medicine, goanna and many other traditional bush foods are found here. This is where Daisy's traditional laws lie.
Daisy paints her country to keep her country strong.
Jessie Ngwarraye Ross
2018, acrylic on linen
61 x 61 cm
Cat No. 632-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.
Jessie’s landscapes beautifully communicate the rich knowledge she possesses of medicinal plants and country, the heart of her culture.
Jessie’s has painted her country, Ampilatwatja. The brightly coloured flowers and small bushes are bush medicine and are still used within the community.
Jessie’s predominant theme in her paintings is 'strong bush medicine', demonstrating a deep connection to her country. Her work pays homage to the significance and use of traditional bush medicine, allowing an insight into her community. Yet underneath the iridescent surface, there is an underlying sense that there is more to this landscape than meets the eye. In keeping with the religious laws, Jessie reveals only a small amount of knowledge to the uninitiated.
Joyrene Ngwarraye Holmes
2018, acrylicon linen
91 x 76 cm
Cat No. 705-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.
This painting shows the layered landscape of Alyawarr, Central Australia. Knowing your country is an important part of living in a remote community like Ampilatwatja. Knowing when and where to go hunting and gathering, knowing where there is 'soakage' (where you can dig for water), travelling with family for ceremonies, and maintaining a connection with the land.
This is my country, my view of country.
Julieanne Ngwarraye Morton
2018, acrylic on linen
91 x 91 cm
Cat No. 723-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
My Mother, Lilly Kemarre, taught me to paint. She likes to paint her Mother's and Father's country from the old days, when they used to live off of the land.
Julieanne's painting's are inspired by her Mother's stories of the old days, walking and living on their land, and also of her own experience of life out here in Alyawarr country.
The landscape changes during the different seasons in the year. I paint the dried flowers and bushes from last season as well as the new plants that come after the rain. These plants have special meanings and uses for us. I have been taught how to read the country, and now I teach my children these skills.
Rita Pitjara Beasley
2018, acrylic on linen
76 x 76 cm
Cat No. 678-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
This is my Father's country.
This place is our hunting place. I always go with my daughters and their children, I show them this place and teach them about the swampy country. We hunt for goannas, bush potato, bush tomato and after the big rain the bush medicine is picked and the roots are dug up to be used.
It is important as my mother taught me this and now I teach my family.
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.
Robina Pitjara Jones
2018, acrylic on linen
61 x 61 cm
Cat No. 703-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
This is my country out in Utopia an outstation called Soapy Bore it's my Father's country, there's big soakage, hills, bush medicine and bush tucker. All my family paint, my grandmother, my mother and aunties. I like to paint, I think about my country, the colours and my family who have gone.
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.
Rosie Ngwarraye Ross
2018, acrylic on linen
76 x 61 cm
Cat No. 630-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.
Sugarbag is a name used for both the honey made by the native bees and also for the sweet nectar that comes from the big yellow flowers of the "tarrkarr" trees.
Rosie likes to go and gather the delicious Sugarbag with family out in the 'sandy country' around Ampilatwatja.
Denise Ngwarraye Bonney
2018, acrylic on linen
107 x 91 cm
Cat No. 691-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories sit.
Denise paints 'Tijamburra', her Grandmothers country.
This is my Mothers Mothers country, out near Canteen Creek, we go hunting for wild onions, goannas, echidnas and sugar bag honey in the trees. I like to hunt in my country, there is water all year round even if it look dry, we follow the bird tracks to know where to dig and then we find water.
This painting is after rain, many grasses are out, but the riverbed is still sandy.
Rita Pitjara Beasley
2018, acrylic on linen
61 x 61 cm
Cat No. 645-18
Enquire
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
This is my Father's country.
This place is our hunting place. I always go with my daughters and their children, I show them this place and teach them about the swampy country. We hunt for goannas, bush potato, bush tomato and after the big rain the bush medicine is picked and the roots are dug up to be used.
It is important as my mother taught me this and now I teach my family.
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.
Edie Kemarre Holmes
2018, acrylic on linen
91 x 61 cm
Cat No. 674-18
Bush Medicine 2019
Artists of Ampilatwatja
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories sit. Antarrengeny is Edie's country and also her Father's.
In this painting Edie depicts Antarrengeny, "when there has been no rain and the land shimmers like jewels. It is the open flat country, after a bushfire, when only the young grasses and the trees are growing and where there is good hunting."
Edie has a strong connection to Antarrengeny. She gave birth to two of her daughters 'out bush' on this land. It is her country and she loves it dearly.