PARWALLA, 2002
ELIZABETH NYUMI NUNGURRAYI
synthetic polymer paint on Belgian linen
180.0 x 120.0 cm
bears inscription verso: artist's name, size and Warlayirti Artists cat. 65/02
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills, Western Australia
Private collection, Melbourne
This work is accompanied by a copy of the certificate of authenticity from Warlayirti Artists which states:
'This painting depicts the country of Elizabeth's father. This country is known for Parwalla and is located far to the south of Balgo in the Great Sandy Desert, west of the community of Kiwirrkurra. The landscape of the area is dominated by tali, or sand dunes. The Parwalla area is a swampy area, filling a huge area with water after the wet season rain. These wet season rains result in an abundance of good bush tucker. The majority of the painting shows the different bush foods, including kantjili, or bush raisin, and minyili. Women, the U shapes, with their wana (digging sticks) and coolimons (sic) are also depicted. The white colour, which dominates the painting, represents the spinifex which grows strong and seeds after the wet season rains. These seeds are white in colour, and grow so thickly they obscure the ground and other plants below.'