BM201305

Betty Mbitjana Awelye (Body Paint) – BM201305 91cm x 30cm

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Betty was born on Utopia station in 1957 whilst the station was still run by non-indigenous owners. She grew up and spent her early years on the station mixing a traditional life with a western schooling. As her mother became more and more famous, Betty developed an interest in painting and learned from Minnie’s innovative blending of colours. Since her mother passed away, Betty’s career has developed in its own right building on her learnings and developing her own method of expression of the same ceremonial stories. Betty divides her time between Alparra Community on Utopia station and Alice Springs.

SKU: BM201305 Category: Tags: , ,

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Betty Mbitjana

Region: Utopia

BM201305
91cm x 30cm

The artist’s depiction refers to the women’s ceremonies performed at Atnwengerrp – the artist homeland. The smaller circles represent bush melon fruit, which once grew plentiful, but are now days difficult to find. The Aboriginal women gathered the fruit, either to be eaten or dried, when bush tucker became scarce. The body paint designs are drawn onto the body using a mix of ochre, charcoal and ash. These are depicted as ‘U’ shapes with lines painted across them. The concentric circles represent the ceremonial rock holes and water soakage, which is where this ceremony is held. Betty Mbitjana has inherited this Dreaming from her late mother Minnie Pwerle. She will often incorporate this design into her Awelye (Body Paint) works.

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