Marrapinti Rockhole
2007
Doreen Reid Nakamarra
Australian Aboriginal, Pintupi people, Papunya, Western Desert, Northern Territory, 1948 - 2009
Rockholes are pools that punctuate the sandhills of the desert, offering respite from the heat and serving as a source of clean, fresh water. Doreen Reid gave credit for the nourishment these pools offer to ancestral women who established them. She painted Marrapinti many times, helping us see the lines of water flowing from a creek into the pool. Carefully guarded and kept clean of debris, the site is a safe haven for women to give birth, gather raisins, and dance and sing the songs of the area.
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
35 13/16 x 35 13/16 in. (91 x 91 cm)
Gift of Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan
2019.20.8
Provenance: [Cross Cultural Art Exchange, Darwin, Australia]; Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan, Seattle, Washington, 2008
Photo: iocolor, Seattle