Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi "Seven Sisters Dreaming"
Information
| Artist | Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi |
|---|---|
| Title | Seven Sisters Dreaming |
| Language Group | Anmatyerre |
| Born around | 1967 |
| Area | Mt Allan, NT |
| Catalogue | 2290 |
| Date | 2010 |
| Medium | Acrylic on Linen |
| Size (W x H) | 91 x 54 cm |
| Price $AUD | $1200 |
Description
Gabriella was born at Mt Allan, Papunya, west of Alice Springs in 1967. She is the eldest daughter of the acclaimed artist Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri who passed away in June 2002. Gabriella began painting at a young age under the guidance of her father. Her paintings reflect his influence on both her style and choice of symbolic imagery.
Clifford Possum was regarded as one of the most recognized Aboriginal artists who lived at Papunya in the Western Desert in the early 1970s. He was among the group of men who initiated the acrylic painting style known as ‘dot art’.
In this painting Gabriella paints the Dreamtime story of the cluster of stars known as ‘The Seven Sisters’ or ‘Pleiades’ taught to her by her mother and grandmother.
It is said that as seven sisters were travelling across the Country they discovered they were being followed by an evil Tjakamarra man – ‘Wati-Nyiru’ who sought to seduce the sisters and take them as his own.
The sisters were frightened and tried to hide, but Wati-Nyiru was a master of disguise and too clever for them.
The only way to escape was through a fire to the Milky Way where they became the seven stars of the Constellation ‘Taurus’ and they now rest safely and watch over the women on earth. Wati-Nyiru (the Tjakamarra man) followed them to the heavens and became the star ‘Orion’ and was no longer able to harm them.
Gabriella depicts the cloud formations in front of the Milky Way in the night sky. The seven concentric circles are the Seven Sisters and the lone star is Orion.
Detail
