Lot 51: c - ANATJARI TJAKAMARRA , CIRCA 1930-1992 MALA (ROCK WALLABY) AT WINGANJIRINYA Synthetic polymer paint on canvas board

Synthetic polymer paint on canvas board

61 by 50.5 cm

Painted at Warra Wea in September 1976
Private collection, Florida, USA

This painting is sold with an accompanying Papunya Tula Artists certificate that reads: 'This site WINGANJIRINYA is found to the North of Docker River, approximately 500 km W.S.W. of Alice Springs, and features a central rock-hole (centre series of concentric circles) and caves with rock overhangs . The two smaller series of concentric circles are water-holes

The tracks depicted here are those of the Mala, Rock Wallaby, (2 Mala Men), who travelled here from a place called TUWANYA where they grew up. They foraged in the vicinity, looking for "bush tucker" called "yukurri" - a small green plant. After staying for a while, and singing some songs, they continued on flying northwards

As further details of this mythology are of a secret-sacred nature, no further details can be given. It is believed that these two Mala Men were called Kanala.'