WOORLJARRING COUNTRY

Important Aboriginal + Oceanic Art
Melbourne
6 October 2010
182

Jack Britten (Joolama)

(c.1925 - 2002)
WOORLJARRING COUNTRY

natural earth pigments on canvas

100.0 x 140.0 cm

inscribed verso: artist's name, size, Waringarri Aboriginal Arts cat. AP0382

Estimate: 
$8,000-12,000
Provenance

Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, Kununurra (certificate attached verso)
Private collection, Queensland
Deutscher~Menzies, 27 June 2000, lot 437
Private collection, New South Wales

Catalogue text

The certificate which accompanies this work states: 'This painting shows country to the west of Halls Creek which is special for women. There are two important hills there. One is the dreamtime breasts of two young women (dwerlemen–warriny) who were travelling in dreamtime. They couldn't make it and turned to stone becoming part of the country. The other hill is an adult women's breast (garrawil). There is lots of limestone (minyjiwoorrji) in the area. Also shown is the Margaret River and a place on the other side where men cannot go or they will grow big breasts like a woman.'