Holmes à Court Gallery presents Balgo works from the Holmes à Court Collection. Balgo, deep in the Western Desert, is one of the most isolated desert settlements in Australia. Known for their use of strong, bright colours, the Balgo people were inspired by the success of the Papunya painting movement to start expressing their culture through modern mediums. This exhibition includes early works by Eubena Nampitjin, Wimmitji Tjapangarti, Susie Bootja Bootja Napangarti and Ena Gimme Nungarayai.
Almost twenty years ‘down the track’ from when these paintings were made it seemed timely to revisit them for PIAF 2007 which this year has as its theme the Human Family with a focus on desert communities.
Incorporating ritual designs, pictographs and rock painting imagery these works communicate a sense of place and of connection with land. They reflect the universal needs for food and water, relationships and belonging, identity and spirituality.
And the ART … viewers may decide for themselves whether the shine and brilliance of the works is due to the range of colours used or to the sunlight and joy captured within.
The Gallery is also presenting a Manning Clark House Day of Ideas for the 2007 PIAF Words and Ideas Programme. Saturday, 17 February 2007, 9.30am – 4.30pm
