Artist | Winmati Roberts |
---|---|
Title | Mituna |
Year | 2022 |
Medium | Acrylic on linen |
Dimensions | 137 × 110 cm |
Art Centre | Spinifex Arts Project → |
Out of stock
Winmati Roberts
Winmati Roberts is descended from a line of renowned artists from the Spinifex, Ngaanyatjarra and Pitjantjatjara border region of Western Australia and South Australia. Winmati was born near Ernabella Mission at the Umuwa rock hole in the late1950’s. His mother, the late Wingu Tingima, was one of the best known painters of the region.. Winmati’s father, the late Lima Tingima, passed on his great knowledge of the country and the law to his son. Around the time of Winmati’s birth his uncle, Lawrence Pennington and other family members were being contacted for the first time as patrol officers clearing the way for the Maralinga atomic tests. As a young man Winmati worked on a project to ‘return to country’ by sinking bores and building windmills in traditional homelands. He helped to establish the community of Nyapari where he lived for many years. For the past ten years he has resided at Tjuntjuntjara.
Artist statement
Mituna is to the north of Tjuntjuntjara heading towards Irrunytju (Wingellina). In the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa two snakes, a father and son, travelled across Country during ceremonial time. These two men are Wanampi, Serpent Beings who created the landscape as they travelled through the Country. At Mituna the son was trying to evade his father and there are many rockholes at Mituna that are the physical manifestation of the many camping places. The Wati Kutjara story is one of the most important and wide-ranging stories in Spinifex country. Although much of the specific detail is dangerous and secret, the general actions and directions of the father and son are well known and understood to have been essential to the formation and activation of much of the Country.