Art and Spirituality - Dorothy Napangardi and painting “The Dreaming”

Born in the early 1950’s, “land artist” Dorothy, grew up 400 kms out of Alice Springs with her extended family who nomadically lived around the Mina Mina area, living traditionally off the land having a complete diet of bush tucker. Dorothy paints a major religious belief called the “Jukurrpa’ (“Digging stick – possessing – Dreaming” also called Karnta-Kulangu Jukurrpa “Women belonging dreaming”), which is a code that sets rules for living, morals and interacting with the natural environment, thereby providing an integrated life with man and nature.

In order for the Dreaming to exist, it must be perpetuated to be regenerated. So not only is Dorothy illustrating their identities and spiritual connectedness to the country, but also passes on valuable cultural information for future generations and ensuring that the Dreaming mythology is kept alive.

Dorothy is creating visual spiritual illustrations through her work.

Napangardi, Dorothy. Dancing up country : the art of Dorothy Napangardi. Sydney: Museum of Contemporary Art, 2002.