ADA BIRD PETYARRE 'Awelye - Mountain Devil Dreaming'

Ada Bird Petyarre paints Awelye - women’s ceremonial body paint designs - linked to the Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard) Dreaming. This small, thorn-covered lizard, sacred to Ada and her people, can camouflage by changing its skin colour, a feature symbolised in Ada’s use of vibrant, shifting colours.

In the Dreamtime, the Arnkerrthe travelled across Ada’s Country, creating people, sacred sites, songs, and stories. Her paintings reflect this spiritual legacy.

The linear patterns in her work represent the body paint applied during Awelye ceremonies, where ochres and ashes are used to decorate the chest, breasts, arms, and thighs. As women are painted, they sing ancestral songs, honouring their connection to Country and supporting the wellbeing of their community.

Acrylic on board

30 x 30 cm