Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery

<>Yilpinji

These limited edition prints by Old Masters from the predominantly Kukatja settlement of Wirrimanu (Balgo Hills) in Western Australia as well as from Yuendumu and Lajamanu, Warlpiri settlements in the Northern territory, have come about as the result of a unique cross- cultural collaboration. 
   Paintings of Yilpinji not only relate to moral and ethical behaviour and the transgressions that sometimes occur but, like other Dreaming narratives, they are attached to specific tracts of land. The often lengthy narratives associated with the Yilpinji paintings provide guidance about how (ideally) people should interrelate with ones fellow human beings as well as providing templates for their interactions with other species and with the natural world. Dreaming narratives relating to Love magic ceremonies and themes have a range of manifestations and iterations, and like other Indigenous arts, may be expressed through a variety of art forms.
 Dreaming narratives are deemed to be ‘owned’ by certain individuals and or groups of Indigenous Australian people. A form of orally transmitted copyright underscored by communal ownership still exists to this day within Indigenous kinship systems.
Usually only certain parts of Dreaming narratives are made publicly available to outsiders or children.
 The Paintings act as mnemonic devices for the longer narratives associated with them. Dreaming narratives also relate closely to specific tracts of land and environmental features. At the same time they deal with the “big” or important philosophical, spiritual, moral and ethical issues and subjects that concern all human beings. These include life, death, dishonesty and betrayal in human relationships, love, hate, lust, incest and other extreme emotions and practices.
Many of these Dreaming narratives and their accompanying visual manifestations have a Yilpinji (poorly translated as Love Magic) manifestation or component, providing advice on how not to act, as well as indicating desirable behaviour.