"When my mother was a young girl about 15 years, the people were living in the bush in wiltjas in the Spinifex Country. My mother told me this story, how the people were all siting down and they saw a big light and then lots of smoke, the smoke just went up and up and up.

The people were frightened they thought it was a walpa pulka (big storm) or the wanampi (rainbow serpent). My Uncle, my mother’s brother had gone to hunt bush tucker in Maralinga Country, he never came back, he died from that bomb, that’s a true story’.

In this painting you can see the families camped in their wiltjas and the white people who brought the bomb, camping with their army trucks."

This work is from Kutjara Minyma Arts Project — an Aboriginal arts centre in the remote community of Irrunytju (Wingellina), ten kilometres from where the borders of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia meet. Artist initated and led, Minyma Kutjara is a proud celebration of community and Country, a place for artists to learn, explore, create and share culture.

Read about the fascinating history of Minyma Kutjara here. 

Noreen PARKER (1964 - )
'The Bomb' 2023
acrylic on canvas
Image Size: 75 x 44 cm
Dimensions: 75 x 44 cm

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Minyma Kutjara Arts Project 

Condition: Excellent

© The Artist or Assignee