ABC Wednesday, A for Anmatyerre is an Australian spirit

Spring cleaning has its advantages. Among other things, I found several Australian art calendars. One of them is dedicated to the work of Sakshi Anmatyerre. And I hope that you find the pictures as beautiful as I do in spite of the allegations expressed in Daily Telegraph London. 

I wrote this 6 years ago and about 45 people sent me a comment, only three of them are still reading my posts, so I am sending this story of Sakshi Anmatyerre again. As you see you can also link this post to the previous one, dealing with zoomorphism.

Sakshi Anmatyerre is an Australian spirit, a traveller in this great country, who records the land and its stories, interpreting them in dazzling colours and with the intuitive eye and sure hand of a master painter.In him is the harmonious meeting of cultures, ancient and modern. Through his paintings, which he creates using modern materials and techniques, he expresses his love and respect for these ancient islands, Australia- the people and the wild places and creatures. He is the proud father of three boys and a girl, and to them he passes his wisdom, his lore and his stories.But each startlingly beautiful painting tells its own story and to each person the story is different- it belongs to the beholder alone. But what to think of this article???

"By David Rennie in Sydney

AUSTRALIA'S aboriginal art industry, has been shaken by an allegation that one of its brightest stars, Sakshi Anmatyerre, is in fact an Indian from Calcutta. ABC, Australia's state television station, reported that Mr Anmatyerre had changed his name .Mr Anmatyerre numbers the actor Paul Hogan, the Sultan of Brunei and members of the Packer media dynasty among his clients. His work also appears on a range of best-selling postcards.Leading dealers recently met to discuss a system of authentication and ratings and nominated the Sydney dealer Adrian Newstead to act as their spokesman. Mr Newstead admitted yesterday that, if the allegations about Mr Anmatyerre are true, his paintings, while no less visually appealing than they were before, are now "not worth a brass razoo". (Daily Telegraph London)

Brass razoo is an Australian phrase that was first recorded in soldiers' slang in World War I. It is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "a non-existent coin of trivial value". It is commonly used in the expression I haven't got a brass razoo, meaning the speaker is out of money.



ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt. It has been an enormous success. Today we start with the sixteenth round and the letter A. See more lovely and interesting words starting with A.Click on the logo in the sidebar. Don't forget to mention mrs. Nesbitt!

Roy McIvor Australian Artist

To enlarge click on slide. These are the words of the uncle of my daughter's ex-husband about each paintings:

"I am Roy McIver. I was born at Cape Bedford, Hope Valley Mission, north of Cooktown. I am a Binthi Warra elder of the Guugu Yimidirr people- a nation north from the Annan River to Starke River. I now live at Hopevale, northwest of Cooktown.
I trusted the land to inspire me to paint.
Bayi( Dilly Bag)
When I think of our old ladies I remember them being so busy. As a child I saw them making dilly bags and using them in so many ways. All young girls were taught the processes of making these bags.

Birri Gurra Walngangay( Homeland River and Lagoon)
Special sites of varied and plentiful foods were called "thamaam". It had special significance as a meeting place for ceremony.

Maji Bithaaygu Buliili ( Raindrops)
When I look at nature in the tropics, there are two seasons: Wet and Dry.
The power of the raindrop is renewal.

Manyjalbi Nanggurr ( Mountainside Camp )
At times mountainside camps were necessary. A protected cave made a good birthingplace and site.

Ngayu Binaa Ngathu Bubu ( I love My Country)
After many years I was able to make a successful claim on some of my traditional country.
When I go to my land I feel relaxed and happy and I commune with nature.Being there gives me great joy. I feel I have come home, I belong.
A feeling of not belonging somewhere adds to a feeling of insecurity.This is very important to address in land issues and Reconcilliation.

Buurraay Thabulthabul( Sacred Waterhole )
I was going back to my country and on the way I stopped by the sacred waterhole.This waterhole is said to be the site where the Creator Spirit, the Rainbow Serpent, returned to rest after moving over the land creating all that is.

Dunggangay Thawunhthirrgu ( Friendly Spirit People )
Dunggans are from the Spirit world.At times they come down into this world, They visit waterholes and lagoons, making merry, paddling canoes, laughing and screaming with joy and diving for fresh water mussles.Whenever people come nearby, talking or making noise the Dunggans would disappear."

Contemporary Australian Art of Indigenous People

Australian Art of Indigenous People

Many Aboriginal young men and women have become uprooted from their own communities and remain disconnected from their language and culture. The Oxfam Community Aid Abroad will give support to indigenous young people to take greater control over their lives and stop self-harm, and suicide

The Australian Spirit.

Sakshi Anmatyerre is an Australian spirit, a traveller in this great country, who records the land and its stories, interpreting them in dazzling colours and with the intuitive eye and sure hand of a master painter.In him is the harmonious meeting of cultures, ancient and modern. Through his paintings, which he creates using modern materials and techniques, he expresses his love and respect for these ancient islands, Australia- the people and the wild places and creatures. He is the proud father of three boys and a girl, and to them he passes his wisdom, his lore and his stories.But each startlingly beautiful painting tells its own story and to each person the story is different- it belongs to the beholder alone.

Australian Art

 
 
 
 

Australian Art