Dreamtime Sisters, 2011 by Colleen Wallace Nungarrayi 68x79cm 14239CW

Colleen Wallace Nungarrayi's "Dreamtime Sisters Series," 2011, is a mesmerising collection inspired by the Dreamtime Sisters ('Irrernte-arenye') of the Eastern Arrernte people. These benevolent spirits from creation time perform the Awelye (women’s ceremony), which includes song, dance, and body painting, to protect the land and sacred sites. The artwork celebrates her grandfather's country near Gemtree, north of Alice Springs, in Eastern Arrente Land.

Wallace's paintings feature intricate designs, vibrant colours, and traditional dotting techniques combined with fine linework.

In this particular painting, The Dreamtime Sisters are depicted as elegant, dancing spirits safeguarding the land. Shapes at the bottom represent women’s sacred sites, while circular shapes above symbolize these locations. Ceremonial poles, central to traditional ground designs during ceremonies, represent the land, and the dots meandering upwards signify ancestral journeys.