Language: Walpiri
Country: Western Desert
Over the years countless artists from bush communities would come to our property on the outskirts of Alice Springs to sell their art. Irene was one of those artists that we had the pleasure of meeting a few times. Unfortunately, we do not have a comprehensive biography for Irene.
We know that Irene is a Walpiri woman from her skin name, Nungarrayi. This is a name given at birth based on the parent’s skin names but is not a surname/last name. The skin name is a complex kinship system of Aboriginal social organisation across Central Australia. The system determines how people relate to each other, including who they can marry, traditional land ownership, ceremonial positions and dreaming rights and much more.
Although the painting is untitled, Irene uses traditional iconography in her painting and therefore we can read her painting starting with the concentric circles which are a symbol for a campsite. This painting is an aerial depiction of the landscape.
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