Limited Edition Etchings
Djilpin Arts have worked with Basil Hall Editions, master printmakers from Darwin to produce four series of etchings around the theme of water – gapu.
Series 1 Billabong Series – Gapu
This series of 18 etchings were developed by young Rittharngu/Wagalak men during a workshop in May 2007 with Darwin print maker Basil Hall. New to the technique, each artist depicted billabong scenes, the animals, fish and plants that feature in their daily lives. The result is a series of delightfully whimsical prints in limited editions of only 30.
Gapu II
The artists are from Mialli (West Arnhem) and Rittharngu/Wagilak (North East Arnhem) language groups. Each artist has depicted scenes around ‘gapu’ (water), central to their daily lives and to the extensive cultural knowledge system of remote Arnhem Land. The result is also a limited edition print of 30.
Gapu III
These 11 etchings make up the third series of the ‘Gapu’ edition. The artists are from Mialli (West Arnhem) and Wagilak (North East Arnhem) language groups.
Gapu IV
Once again the men (and this time the ladies too) worked on intricate line drawings of animals, plants and birds from the region. The new prints were launched at Art Melbourne.
Silk Screens and Paintings
Limited Edition Silk Screen Prints
This series of five silk screens were developed during an artists’ workshop at Beswick in May 2007 with Darwin printmaker Basil Hall. Five established painters used the silk screen technique for the first time to produce this stunning series in editions of just 20 and 40 (Roy Ashley). Printed on high quality, acid-free archive paper, each print comes complete with authenticity certificate and is signed by the artist.
Roy’s work tells the story of a quiet snake (ghunthurru) it dwells in a stony place called Wardamhun. Ngambi is a stone spear. The stone axe is called Gharpumardah. All come from the place called Ngilibitji for all the Wagalag clan Dhuwa. When the stone axes and stone spears were traded from here they are a symbol of law from our ceremony called Mardijan and is it shared throughout Arnhemland. When we dance these are the symbols that we have on our bodies.
Purchase and support the work of Djilpin Artists
Roy Ashley $330 plus postage $20 (Aust), $30 (O/S) – tube
Bullinj M. Hall, Franklyn Weston, Les Johnson, Frankie Lane: $220 plus postage $20 (Aust), $30 (O/S) – tube
Get in touch using this contact form and we’ll get back to you about any of the artwork you see above.
Paintings
At Ghunmarn Culture Centre and in the Djilpin Katherine Gallery you can see original and authentic traditional and contemporary paintings on bark, canvas and paper. They tell stories from the dreaming or from contemporary Aboriginal life, or sometimes describe the animals, plants and places that are important to Aboriginal people. Up to 50 artists from the region supply Djilpin Arts with art works on a regular basis.
