Banapa - fishnet
Banapa - fishnet
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Alison Puruntatameri

1984 - Banapa - fishnet 2021
  • ochre on linen
41 cm x 210 cm
Description

Alison Puruntatameri was born in Pirlangimpi on Melville Island.  She grew up in Pirlangimpi and went to the local school.  After she completed school she worked in child care. She has one daughter, Anette Orsto known locally as Sugar Plum who is a great favourite at the art centre studio where Alison paints with her mother Paulina (Jedda) Puruntatameri, her partner James Orsto and the other artists. It was Alison’s grandfather, Justin Puruntatameri (deceased) a senior law man who told Alison she should have a go at painting. He knew all the old songs and remembered visits by the Maccassans to the Tiwi Islands when he was a boy.  Alison would listen to his stories of his paintings at the art centre and on country. He used to take the family hunting when she was little. He would also take them out bush bashing in his 2 door toyota ute called Black Nose. He used to teach them how to cook wallabies, mussels lots of foods all together under the ground wrapped in paperbark. Alison started painting at Munupi Arts Centre in late 2011. Alison was a finalist in the Museum of Contemporary Arts 2014 Primavera Art Award.

Banapa is the Tiwi word for net. Throw nets are commonly and expertly used for fishing off the beach. The shapes and forms these fish nets create whilst being cast translate into wonderful pictorial patterns.

Source:  Munupi Art Centre, 2021

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The Wesfarmers Collection of Australian Art acknowledges all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Custodians of Country and recognises their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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