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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Marlowal Dreaming (Female rock wallaby Dreaming)), 2018

by Shirley Purdie

Marlowal Dreaming (Female rock wallaby Dreaming)), 2018

“The Marlowal was pouring all these rocks to form the caves so that all the other wallabies could live in there with their families.”

These black rock formations can be seen in present day Warmun and around Norton Bore, Shirley’s paternal ancestral lands. They’re called ‘Thurru thurru wanannyanda’, meaning ‘pouring around’.

“That’s the Ngarranggarni for this one now – the Marlowal, that girl wallaby… You can see some of them black-black rocks around here.”

The hills in the painting in orange, yellow and red ochre surround the black rocks and caves. The Marlowal Ngarranggarni takes place next to the eagle and crow Dreaming, which are beside a giant hill near the present day roadhouse in Warmun.

So Fine
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So Fine

Contemporary women artists make Australian history

Previous exhibition, 2018

This exhibition features new works from ten women artists reinterpreting and reimagining elements of Australian history, enriching the contemporary narrative around Australia’s history and biography, reflecting the tradition of storytelling in our country.
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The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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