Wiyini/Pakataringa Jilamara, Maria Orsto Winyini
Ochre on canvas, 60 x 90 cm
Provenance: TBC
Maria Josette Orsto (nee Apuatimi) was the first female Tiwi artist to become an official member of Tiwi Design on Bathurst Island, one of the oldest Aboriginal art centres in Australia. She is the daughter of renowned Tiwi artists Declan Apuatimi and Jean Baptiste Apuatimi. Orsto works across a range of media including ochre and acrylic on canvas and paper, printmaking, batik and wood sculpture, and her works are inspired by the countless hours of watching her parents work. She learnt many of her family stories and designs that connected them to their broader Tiwi community. Orsto’s work is held in Australian and international private collections and in numerous public collections (1).
All jilamara (design) is originally drawn from the body painting which accompanied the pukumani (funeral) and kulama (initiation/yam) ceremonies. An individual design and aesthetic is highly valued by Tiwi artists and is representative of their person interpretation of the traditional Tiwi design. Wiyini jilamara refers to a leaf pattern in the design.
Other works by this artist: