Poly Ngal
Anmatyerre (born ca.1915)
Emu Seed, 2006
synthetic polymer on linen
146 x 154 cm
PROVENANCE
Commissioned by Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, Melbourne, cat.no.260016; accompanied
by original certificate of authenticity
Private Collection, Melbourne
Documentation reads: Poly Ngal’s paintings often depict bright yellow
seeds, feast for the emus amongst the Bush Plums that grow in her country.
Her paintings are borne from traditional knowledge and Poly’s confident
approach to her work can be seen in the way she assembles streams of seeds,
piling dots upon each other to create rich, thick fields of glowing palettes
of colour. In this painting Poly portrays her mother’s country which
is Kurrajong Bore located within the Utopia homelands. Poly portrays the
seed on a particular plant which the emus like to eat. It is shown at
various stages: the white being when the plant is in flower and the yellow
representing the seeds.