CUSHION COVER WOOL 40cm

These beautiful, unique textiles are a cross -cultural collaboration combining Aboriginal designs and tradional Kashmiri handicraft. The chain-stitched (Gabba in local Kashmiri) cushions are hand stitched by

rural folk in remote villages in one specific region of Kashmir. Over generations they have honed their skills and refined their hand crafted produce. Only the most skilful artisans can faithfully reproduce the images we send to them. Aboriginal artists in remote regions in Australia, as well as others living in the cities, benefit from regular royalties paid monthly, as well as using these products to tell other people about their rich cultural heritage.

ARTIST: Damien & Yilpi Marks

This is a very detailed painting which describes a dry time of year in Damien's homeland, Mount Liebig. The painting illustrates aspects of landscape and culture around that area that was told to Damien by his great-grandmother and great- grandfather. There are women sitting with their children collecting bush potatoes (the mass of red shapes at the bottom of the painting). The women are talking and getting ready for a ceremony. There is one man (wati) sitting down with his waru (spear). The spinifex is dry and so the man is walking around making bushfires. He is a good man, he is undertaking controlled burnings so the spinifex burns up and then good fruits can grow after this. There are several symbols in this painting. The small sun-like symbols represent women's body painting these are the images the women are painting on each other as they sit down ready for inma traditional ceremony. There is a dry creek bed running through the painting (in red and white), and there are cracks in the ground and claypans. There are also dried rockholes (tjukula), and next to them are tali sandhills.