Artist

Emily Pwerle’s country is Atnwengerrp and her language is Anmatyerre and Alyawarre. She is approximately 101 years old this year having been born possibly in 1922 (no records exist). She has had little exposure to western culture and only picked up a paintbrush for the first time in 2004.

Emily paints ‘Awelye Atnwengerrp’ with colourful energetic lines and symbols richly layered upon the canvas. These represent the designs that the women paint on their bodies during ‘Awelye’, the women’s ceremonies for Atnwengerrp.

Learn more about Emily here.

Artwork Information

This piece was painted in 2008 and is 122cm x 91cm in size.

This artwork is currently unstretched.

Dreaming

In Aboriginal culture, ceremonies are focal points in the life of the community, held for different purposes but all integral to the happiness and well being of the people.

Members of the community come together to dance and celebrate to acknowledge the fertility of the land, the health of the people, and the initiation of young men or to mourn the passing of a loved one.

In Women’s Ceremonies, the women smear their bodies with animal fat and then trace certain ceremonial designs on the top half of their body using a variety of powders, ground from charcoal and yellow and red ochre.

The women then gather together and sing and dance led by the most senior women of the clan group.

The body paint designs vary from ceremony to ceremony, depending on the subject and the time of year the ceremony is held. Different symbols are painted on the body and may vary from person to person depending on the ‘dreaming’ and seniority of each member.

The women’s ceremony is kept separate to the man’s ceremony, though each one is equally as important.  Through these traditions the people are demonstrating their respect for their ancestors and love for their land.

 Learn more here.

Medium

All the artwork provided is done on with highest quality linen canvas, acrylic paints, oils and brushes ensuring the longevity of each piece of work.