Short St Gallery
Short St Gallery
Skip to main content
  • Menu
  • Exhibitions
  • Available Artworks
  • Artists
  • News
  • Contact
Menu

Available Artworks

Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Matilda Oxtoby, Wandjina and Kira Kiro, 2019

Matilda Oxtoby Australian, Wunambal, b. 1962

Wandjina and Kira Kiro, 2019
Ochre on canvas
76 x 76 cm
841269
Enquire
%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMatilda%20Oxtoby%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EWandjina%20and%20Kira%20Kiro%3C/span%3E%2C%20%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2019%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EOchre%20on%20canvas%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E76%20x%2076%20cm%3C/div%3E
The Wandjina are ancestral spirits who created country, people and animals in the North West Kimberley before turning themselves into rock paintings. They are sometimes called “lightning man” or “rain...
Read more
The Wandjina are ancestral spirits who created country, people and animals in the North West Kimberley before turning themselves into rock paintings. They are sometimes called “lightning man” or “rain maker” and every year they replenish water holes, creeks and rivers through making the wet season. The Wandjina can be vengeful if people break the law, by making savage storms and cyclones. the predominant white colouring and shape of the Wandjina’s body represent water and clouds which are sometimes offset by the use of a red pigment, representing blood that shows us that the Wandjina are partly alive. The Wandjina is closely associated with the Dumbi (owl) which can be seen in the depiction of his large eyes, and Ungurr (the rainbow snake), another creator of country and story often connected with rain and water holes. Other imagery which can be seen with the Wandjina include the Ulumarra (long neck turtle), which has a Wandjina shaped bone on the back of his head, the bark bucket which is used for carrying water, round stones which represent the caves in which Wandjina are painted and individual artists totem animals such as the Bunarr (bush turkey), Jabarra (emu) and Walumba (red kangaroo). Kira Kiro: The painting in caves of the Kimberly region often feature Gwion Gwion, or Kiro Kiro (in the Kwini language of the Kalumburu area), the creation of which is credited to the ancestors. There is also a story that says a small bird painted them with its bleeding beak. The Gwion often underlay Wandjina paintings, indicating their greater age. When people speak of the Gwion they often say that these figures are an important part of Lore in the region; telling people how to live, to share food properly and look after each other. They are often depicted alongside the Wandjina in their contemporary art practice, and indication of the strong influence of cave painting on Kalumburu artists.
Close full details
Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Email
Privacy Policy
Manage cookies
Copyright © Short St Gallery
Facebook, opens in a new tab.
Twitter, opens in a new tab.
Instagram, opens in a new tab.
Join the mailing list
Send an email

This website uses cookies
This site uses cookies to help make it more useful to you. Please contact us to find out more about our Cookie Policy.

Manage cookies
Accept

Cookie preferences

Check the boxes for the cookie categories you allow our site to use

Cookie options
Required for the website to function and cannot be disabled.
Improve your experience on the website by storing choices you make about how it should function.
Allow us to collect anonymous usage data in order to improve the experience on our website.
Allow us to identify our visitors so that we can offer personalised, targeted marketing.
Save preferences