| Artist | Marcia Mitchell |
|---|---|
| Title | Kungkarrangkalpa (Seven Sisters) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Medium | Acrylic on cotton canvas |
| Dimensions | 122 × 156 cm |
| Art Centre | Papulankutja Artists → |
Out of stock
Marcia Mitchell
Marcia Mitchell is the daughter of Anawari Inpiti Mitchell and Winston Mitchell, two senior community members in Papulankutja who are both active leaders and knowledge holders. Marcia was influenced by her parents to begin painting herself in 2009. Marcia learnt how to paint by being around other artists at home and at the art centre. She painted ‘any way’, developing her own unique style. Marcia has been involved in NPY Women’s Council and attended Law & Culture Camps over the years. Since 2002 she has been active with NG Media, an Yarnangu Corporation that supports cultural performance, recording, radio, video training, production and broadcast throughout the Ngaanyatjara Lands. In 2019 Marcia started working with the NPY Youth Team program supporting young people.
Artist statement
Kungkarrangkalpa (The Seven Sisters or Pleaides) is a significant Tjukurrpa (dreaming). Wati Nyiru (Orion) fell in love with the sisters but he was of the wrong skin group to marry. The sisters travel across the land to escape Nyiru’s unwanted attentions, but he is persistent and always finds them. There are significant land forms which can be seen today that is evidence of this dreaming. He tries to catch them by using magic to turn into kampurarrpa (bush tomato) and yirli (wild fig tree), for them to eat and camp under. However, the sisters are too clever for Nyiru who they outwit again and again. They go hungry and run through the night rather than be caught by him. Eventually, the sisters fly into the sky to escape Nyiru, forming the Pleaides constellation. Nyiru felt lonely, longing for the sisters who were so far away. Nyiru used his magic to go into the sky, forever in pursuit.