POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'Yilinginga' textile by Paddy Henry Ripijingimpi

Object No. 96/303/2

The design is based on a bark painting by Paddy Henry Ripijingimpi (born 1925) made in 1979. It was adapted for screenprinting by art co-ordinator Ray Young in 1989, originally as a three-colour print, and now printed in one colour. There is no English word for 'Yilinginga', which refers to the preliminary dance/ rituals for the Pukamani burial ceremonies. Note: The Museum holds an ochre painting on canvas, and a screenprinted textile length (96/41/1) based on the painting (96/42/1), by Paddy Henry's wife, Nancy Henry (now deceased), made at Jilamara Arts and Crafts on neighbouring Melville Island. The subject of her painting and textile design is the same (although the title for that work was given as 'Jilamara' meaning generally drawing or painting something; a generic work like 'going shopping' (ref. Barnes). Tiwi Designs was set up as a screenprinting workshop by the Catholic Mission at Nguiu on Bathurst Island in 1971; the key artists at this time were Giovanni Tipungwuti, Bede Tungatulum, and Eddie Puruntatameri (who later made pottery). They had learnt block printing from Madaleine Clear from about 1969. Since the establishment of Tiwi Designs a number of outside artists worked as advisers and co-ordinators at Tiwi Designs, the current adviser being Kathy Barnes.