Pirrmal by Wakartu Cory Surprise

Artist Statement: This is jilji (sandhill) country in the desert. It is called Pirrmal. We used to catch wirlka (sand goanna) here it is a good place for hunting. That my country in the desert... When I paint I think about my country and where I have been travelling across that country. I paint from here (points to head, thinking about country) and here (points to breasts collarbone and shoulder blades, which is reference to body painting). I think about my people the old people and what they told me; I think about jumangkarni (Dreaming). Nobody taught me how to paint I put down my own ideas I saw these places for myself I went there with the old people. I paint jiji (sand hills) jumu (soak water) jila (spring) jiwari (rock hole) pamarr (hills and rock country). I think about mangarri (vegetable food) and kuyu (animals hunted for food) from my country and when I was there. When I paint I am thinking about law from a long time ago I am thinking about the country my country.