Warul Ar Bidhiyal

Artist Alick Tipoti (1975)

Date2006

Object number00055481

NameLinoprint

MediumInk on paper.

DimensionsImage: 900 × 1900 mm
Overall: 1100 × 2100 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Alick Tipoti

Terms

DescriptionLinoprint made by artist Alick Tipoti titled Warul Ar Bidhiyal (Sea turtles and Squid). The print depicts sea turtles eating squid while they feed on little fish on the coral reefs. The squid and fish are hidden in the designs because they are sometimes hard to see in the water with the naked eye. The two patches of repeated patterns represent the squirting on the inky fluid from the squid.HistoryAlick Tipoti is guided in his work by the traditional cultural practices of his people, he sees his responsibility to document the stories, genealogies, songs, and other aspects of his culture so that it is available for future generations to learn, understand and practice. Tipoti is now a senior cultural leader of Zenadh Kes in addition to being an influential contemporary artist. He ensures strong traditional language is embedded in everything he does and is one of few holders of traditional song and dance attached to the stories of his ancestors. Given the traditional name Zugub, Tipoti is able to relate to the spirits of his ancestors, the Zugubal. This provides him the insight to translate their words through his art and his dance.SignificanceAlick Tipoti is one of the most important Zenadh Kes artists of his generation and highly respected for his work in regenerating cultural knowledge, practices and language through his art, guided by the traditional cultural practices of his people. Tipoti’s diverse storytelling encompasses traditional cosmology, marine environment and ocean conservation and at the essence, what it is to be a sea person.