Narrangem (Lightning Spirit)
ca. 1986
Wally Mandarrk
Australian Aboriginal, Kune/Dangbon peoples, Cadell and Tomkinson Rivers region, Western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, ca. 19
Narrangem is ready to create lightning storms. He has a stone axe tied to his waist so he can make thunder. Streaks of lightning that circle around to make small stones when they hit the ground are emanating from his elbows. His pose is active, suggesting his readiness to ignite the skies. Wally Mandarrk was known to paint on rock and on participants’ bodies for ceremonies, and refused to mix any synthetic binders into his paints, preferring to continue using natural resins that give his images a haunting chalky texture.
--Pam McClusky, Curator of African and Oceanic Art, 2012
Natural pigments on eucalyptus bark
35 7/16 x 18 3/4 in. (90 x 47.6 cm)
Gift of Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan
2019.20.18
Provenance: (Sotheby's, Melbourne, Australia, June 1998, lot 162); Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan, Seattle, Washington, 1998
Photo: iocolor, Seattle