Details

• Linoblock design: Alfonso Puantjimi
  
• Painting by Marie Yvonne Tipuamantumirri
• 38cm x 28cm
  
• Hand painted lino print 
• Cat No 460-22
  
• Art Centre: Ngaruwanajirri Inc. Bathhurt Island, Tiwi 

Artists 

Alfonso has been painting with the Ngaruwanajirri group since 1997. Subject matter of his paintings is drawn from his environment: Tutini (pukumani poles), carved heads, figures and birds as still life groupings, local landscape including trees, boats, planes and cars and patterns. Alfonso uses bold brush strokes, generous paint application and applies black lines over broad areas of colour, finishing with dots and lines in colour. His paintwork has a strong textural effect. 

- Ngaruwanajirri Inc. 2022

Marie Yvonne Tipuamantumirri was born 1959 in Bathurst hospital run by the Catholic Mission and went to St Theresa School in Wurrimiyanga and then St John College in Darwin. Her skin group is Takaringuwi (Scaly Mullet) and her dreaming is Ampijti (Rainbow Serpent). After school she became a bi- lingual assistant teacher, literacy worker and translator. She moved to Pirlangimpi with her husband and three children a long time ago, and has worked with the Art Centre for many years while teaching and doing other jobs in the Community.

Art Centre 

Ngaruwanajirri Incorporated is an arts centre at Wurrumiyanga on Bathurst Island. Ngaruwanajirri, which means ‘helping one another’ in Tiwi, was established in 1994. It was originally set up for disabled Tiwi residents but now includes all artists, with the original artists working with traditional wood carvers. Art created includes natural ochre paintings on paper and canvas, batik on silk, lino prints on paper and fabric and ironwood carvings. Many paintings and carvings from Ngaruwanajirri, including tutini poles for Pukumani ceremonies, have been exhibited in Darwin, interstate and overseas. Works reside in private collections and art galleries both nationally and internationally.