Pinirnpa (Ant Bed)

Materials: tjanpi (native desert grass), bush dyed raffia
Dimensions: L120cm x W62cm x H62cm

Pinirnpa (Ant Bed) honours the early days of fibre arts practice in the Ngaanyatjarra region, when mothers, aunties and grandmas of the exhibiting artists began experimenting with coiled basketry and bush dyeing. These works tell a story of the quiet beauty of the expansive Ngaanyatjarra Country that is home, capturing the organic shapes and soft colours of the landscape through natural dying and manipulation of coiling technique. Native barks, leaves and tree roots were collected to hand-dye material incorporated into the artwork. The resulting gentle variations of colour capture the exquisite colours found across the artists’ homelands. Paying homage to the pioneering fibre artists, Pinirnpa celebrates the intergenerational sharing of knowledge and skills, technique and form, interlaced with a deep and significant connection to Country and culture.