Ramingining, was the first exhibition of contemporary Arnhem Land work to be shown in Tasmania and the response to the show was fantastic. The show was curated by Emma Bett who has been visiting the community of Ramingining since 2004. In conjunction with Louise Partos, the manager at Bula’bula Arts, Emma assembled an exhibition of superb quality painting and weaving from the most highly regarded artists.

One of these artists is Jimmy Wululu, a senior Law Man and the major painter for the Gupapuyngu group, both in the ritual and public domains. Wululu passed away in 2005 and this exhibition includes his last four paintings available on the primary market, making them significant collector works.

Micky Durrng Garrawurra is another very important artist who, sadly, also passed away recently. Bett Gallery Hobart has been given special permission by Micky’s family to show his work in Tasmania during the period of mourning. Garrawurra is very well known for his distinct style, which is a construct of simple geometric shapes or stripes signifying sacred body designs, and painted in the traditional colours of red, yellow and white.

Other painters included in this exhibition are Dorothy Djukulul and Namiyal Bopirri, both of whom enjoy significant reputations in the art market.

Due to the popularity of the basket weavings on exhibition, more works have been dispatched to the gallery from Bula'bula Arts, including three superb baskets which can now be viewed on the additional works 2006 link above.  If the style of basket you like in the exhibition is marked as sold, please do not hesitate to contact the gallery as it may be possible to access others in the future.

Creating these stunning fibre works is an arduous and time consuming process. Firstly, the youngest bunches of leaves from the top of a Pandanus palm are pulled down within reach, using a large stick, and the prickly edges then stripped off using the thumb nail. The women then strip the long leaves into several fibres, bundle them up and hang them up to dry.

When dry, the fibres are beautifully dyed with natural vegetable root dyes, and then woven. Shades of yellow to deep orange are obtained from the roots of the Milipa or Sand-paper Leaf Fig. The roots are boiled for up to an hour until the desired depth of colour is reached. Shades of pink to reddish-brown are obtained from the root of the Bunyagutjagutja, a shiny green-leafed grass with a bright red root. Recent experimentation with the inclusion of parts of the pandanus tree and ash from the leaf of the coconut palm have resulted in interesting shades of lime-green to dark blue. A highly prized berry, which mainly grows in the Darwin and Katherine regions, provides brilliant shades of pink.

― Bula’bula Arts Fibre Art brochure, available at the gallery

Many clients will be familiar with the stunning Aboriginal language feature film Ten Canoes, a film by Rolf de Heer and the people of Ramingining. This movie was shot in and around the Ramingining community, featuring much of the traditional culture, language and beautiful landscape of Central Arnhem Land.

In addition, the impressive Aboriginal Memorial of two hundred painted poles, on permanent display at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, was made by forty-three artists of the Ramingining region.

Namiyal Bopirri stripping the Pandanus fronds and
Mary Dhapalany digging for yellow root dye stock

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