PUMPUNI JILAMARA, 2002
Kutuwulumi Purawarrumpatu (Kitty Kantilla)
natural earth pigments and synthetic binder on canvas
60.5 x 79.5 cm
inscribed verso: artist's name and Jilamara Arts and Crafts cat. 443-02
Jilamara Arts and Crafts, Melville Island (stamped verso)
Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney
Private collection, New South Wales
Untitled 1999, natural earth pigments and acrylic binder on canvas, in Croft,B.L., (ed.) Beyond the Pale: Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Adelaide Biennial of Art, 2000, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, 2000, p. 41 (illus.)
Characterised by a mixture of lines and dots, the abstract designs of Tiwi artdepict the ornate body painting that has been used for centuries as part of the Pukamani (mortuary) ceremonies. The works of Kutuwulumi Purawarrumpatu (Kitty Kantilla), for many years the senior and most renowned painter from Milikapiti, exemplified this enduring art movement. Her art is typified by amixture of intricate lines of dots, bold areas of solid pigment and areas of delicate line work. Pumpini Jilamara 2002 is a classic example by the artistwith the design defined by the overall grid, solid bands of ochre with eacharea in-filled with fine lines and dotting.
This painting is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Jilamara Arts and Crafts, Melville Island