$5,500.00
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Betty Mbitjana (1945-2023) was a highly respected Anmatyerre artist from the Atnwengerrp community in Utopia, Northern Territory. The daughter of Minnie Pwerle and sister of Barbara Weir, she belonged to one of Australia’s most significant artistic families, whose lineage also includes Emily Kame Kngwarreye. Betty began her career in the 1970s working in batik before moving to acrylic painting, where she continued the bold Awelye Body Paint Designs that her mother made famous.
Her work carried the Dreamings passed down through her family, including Awelye – Atnwengerrp, Bush Melon, Bush Berry, Bush Plum, and Wild Orange (Akarley). These paintings, with their sweeping stripes, curves, and rhythmic linework, reflected both women’s ceremonial body paint designs and the abundance of bush foods found on Country. The designs were deeply tied to women’s law and ceremony, where ochre patterns are painted on the body, accompanied by song and dance to keep ancestral knowledge strong.
Betty’s paintings are represented in major public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria, the Araluen Arts Centre, Artbank, and the United Nations Building in Geneva. She lived her later years in Alice Springs, moving into aged care in 2021, and passed away in May 2023 surrounded by family, leaving a lasting legacy as a key figure in contemporary Aboriginal art.
Learn more about Betty Mbitjana here.
Painted in 2008, this work measures 90cm x 120cm. It is currently stretched and ready to hang, with the artist’s signature featured on the back of the canvas.
Betty Mbitjana’s Bush Melon Dreaming is a powerful representation of a story that speaks to the spiritual and cultural connection between the Anmatyerre people and the land. The bush melon Anemangkerr is the Alyawarr word, a small, sweet fruit traditionally harvested by women, plays a central role in Aboriginal culture, symbolising both nourishment and the intergenerational passing of knowledge. The Dreaming tells of how the ancestors provided the bush melon and other bush foods to sustain the people, and through the gathering of these fruits, women are reminded of their deep responsibility to care for the land.
In her Bush Melon Dreaming paintings, Betty uses intricate dotting techniques and circular patterns to represent the fruit, its vines, and the movement of women as they gather the harvest. Her compositions evoke the rhythm of the land and the ceremonies associated with these practices, telling a story of connection, sustainability, and respect.
Through her art, Betty ensures that the Dreaming of the bush melon is preserved for future generations, sharing a vital piece of her culture within the world.
Learn more about this dreaming here.
Each artwork is meticulously created using the highest quality materials to ensure longevity, vibrancy, and integrity over time. Artists work with premium linen canvas, selected for its durability and fine texture, paired with professional-grade acrylics and hand-picked brushes. This combination allows for both bold expression and intricate detail, preserving the richness of the stories embedded in every piece. All materials are archival and museum-quality.
