Edward Blitner – Stories from my Grandfather
Gallery 2
5 June - 18 July 2012
About Edward Blitner – Stories from my Grandfather
5 June – 18 July 2012
Edward Blitner’s paintings display the stylistic approach and subject matter associated with his traditional country along the Roper River in southern Arnhem Land. Blitner uses a palette of natural ochre colours and adopts the traditional patterning of cross-hatching that is known as rrarrk.
Edward Blitner was born in southern Arnhemland in 1961. His bush name is Taiita and he is from the Ngukkurr Community in Naiyarlindji country on the Roper River, approximately 270 km south-east of Katherine in the Northern Territory.
Edward Blitner started painting when he was seven, learning from his grandfather who painted with natural ochres on bark. He says of this time, “My grandfather would be painting on bark and we kids would sit around him and watch him grind the ochres and mix the colours. After a while he would tell us the story for that particular painting and also teach us the songs and dance for that story. When he was in a very good mood, he let us paint the sides of the bark painting. That was my start.”
Blitner paints the stories of people who live along the river country, their lives revolving around subsistence hunting in Marra, the Sea, or Alawa, the Freshwater Billabongs. His paintings depict the wealth of animal and plant life of the region and the rich wetlands of the Roper River stretching out to Boorroloola on the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Arnhem Land paintings and works on paper
George Milpurrurru
England Bangala
Billy Dullman
Djardie Ashley
Jimmy Djelminy
Roy Burnyila
Andrew Wanambi
