S E V E N   S I S T E R S

we have had a crazybusy week ... first we had Basil arrive on Monday morning to begin a printing project "The 7 Sisters "  The seven Yunupingu sisters Gulumbu, Nyapanyapa, Barrupu, Ranydjupi,  Dorothy, Dhopia and Djakngu all pulled together in our courtyard to create their own large artwork telling the story of the 7 Sisters -  a constellation in the sky which tells the Yolngu of the rains, fire and the harvest at this time of year ... so clever and aptly and seven times seven ...

5 out of 7

ruby examining the HUGE zinc plates - one for each sister at one metre by half a metre...To start they told the story of the seven sisters in the sky - which was filmed by Mulka -  and each sister set off and  painted their own star

Barrupu

Nyapanyapa

Ranydjupi 

Dhopia

 Djakngu

Dorothy

 Gulumbu

7 stars

the week was a juggling act - trying to etch the plates and keep the sisters happy - not only that but we had the Buku AGM on Tuesday too - which was a great thing - and then on Wednesday 40 people from ANKAAA arrived for a two day regional meeting - camping in tents behind the arts centre at night and using the auditorium for talks during the day - this added an extra dimension for the print project as we moved acid, tar, paint and huge plates of zinc in between our visitors and the courtyard and the caterers ...  there were a few disasters in there and definitely much distraction but we did get catered breakfast lunch and dinner as well as a constant supply of tea and coffee and biscuits so that helped as we muttered under our breath ...

 

  

gettin busy

 

  

 

 

details

 

 

  

clean - up

 bas in the acid

 first proof

 

 

 

some goodness and some goodness me! came out of the week's work - we have seven large plates from the seven sisters and one collaborative plate - some of which we had time to ink up and have a look at and some of which we have yet to play with - so many choices and decisions made along the way which was exhausting as well as an overwhelming sensation and frustration that the print room really has reached saturation point in terms of space and is no longer a functioning space  - but in anycase - friday arrived and basil went back to darwin and now it is sunday and i think i might be ready for work tomorrow ....