Dreaming Sisters

The painting narrates the story of the Seven Sisters and Antangker – Cindy Wallace Nungarrayi's ancestral land is located in the Utopia region, about 250 km north-east of Alice Springs. The Sisters, spiritual beings of the Ancestors, descended from the sky during the Time of Creation. They taught people how to gather and prepare food and conduct ceremonies. Anmatyerre women, accompanied by children, gather food in the summer and perform ceremonies to renew their history and strengthen their connection to the land. They paint their bodies with Awelye patterns, sing, and dance.

Cindy Wallace Nungarrayi is one of the senior custodians of this Dreaming. She employs a technique of delicate dotting and colour variations. Three circles at the top of the painting represent stars, and connecting lines denote the Milky Way. Small circles between the lines represent bush yams, while other circles may represent waterholes, flowers, or ceremonial sites. Dots in the background signify vegetation and the terrain in that area.

Cindy Wallace's style is minimalist and lyrical. Her works are featured in Australian and international collections.