This is a group self portrait of the Hermannsburg Potters, a collective of senior women artists of the Western Aranda/Arrarnta community in Ntaria/Hermannsburg. Through their vibrant hand-built, hand-painted terracotta pots, they tell stories of the local wildlife, Country and everyday life, reflecting their cultural beliefs and traditions. Although each of the artists has an individual style and approach, for this commission they worked together to create a self portrait. The potters themselves are pictured on the sides of the pot, represented through their intricate connections with Country, including plants and animals, a story of a mother and her twins, and Ancestors such as artist Albert Namatjira. Established in 1990, several years after the land comprising Hermannsburg Mission was returned to its Traditional Owners, Hermannsburg Potters is an important expression of individual and collective histories.
Commissioned 2009
© Hermannsburg Potters Aboriginal Corporation
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