Item X 105052 badjkid | Basket. Kunwinjku. Gunbalanya, Western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. 2003

Summary

The floral pattern created in the base of pandanus bowls and baskets is a signature style of the Kunwingjku women of Mamadawere outstation. Jill Nganjmirra was the originator of this design, which was then adopted by her sister Marlene Buranali and Marlene's daughter Jeanette Buranali. Closely related women work together in their fibre practice and this style is an example of the way in which they share ideas and establish their own distinctive styles. Each will create their own recognisable styles and form, like in this instance with Marlene's flower that starts in the base with petals extending up the sides of the basket.

Local Name

badjkid

Physical Description

Basket, coiled, with horizontal bands of dyed pandanus (purple, pink, orange, green and brown) and undyed pandanus. The swivel coiled handle is attached in the middle of the basket on opposite sides.

Significance

Marlene comes from a family of fibre artists, she often includes double stiching in her coiled works which adds greater texture. She is the elder sister of four daughters of artist Spider Namirrki, and her other sisters Betty Namarnyilk and Leanne Guymala are also fibre artists whose work is featured in the Indigenous collections at Museum Victoria.Her work was featured in Object #45, December 2004 and in the publication '500 Baskets: Celebration of the Basketmakers Art' (2006).