Bottles on blue linen – Robyn Djunginj

Composition: Linen
The artist is paid royalties for every metre printed
Produced by Flying Fox Fabrics under license in collaboration with Bula’Bula Arts

Robyn Djunginy’s Bottles Design

Born in 1947, Djunginy is renowned for her contribution to contemporary Indigenous art, being one of the first Ramingining women to showcase her weaving skills globally. She passed away in 2024.

She was best known for her pandanus woven bottles and painted bottle form, the dominant motif throughout her work. The inspiration for this motif arose while living at Mulgurrum outstation, where several Italian Chianti bottles were amongst community. Djunginy was encouraged to weave these bottles by then art centre manager Djon Mundine. The bottle motif is also in reference to Djunginy Mother Group Marrangu Djinang, where the bottles, shaped like beehives, represent the native honey story in Ramingining, Central Arnhem Land. In contrast, the woven bottle motif also makes reference to the use and misuse of alcohol in all communities remote and urban. It has been suggested that the painted bottles were representations of the swampland in Ramingining, with the bottles depicting canoes gliding through the swamp water painted in tradition rarrk design.

Djunginy’s first exhibition was held in 1983 at the George Paton Gallery, Melbourne. Her woven bottles were then featured in the 1998 Sydney Biennale, showcasing Indigenous weaving as contemporary art. When collector John Kluge (who later established the Kluge-Ruhe Museum in Virginia, US) visited Ramingining in 1989 and commissioned a large body of work, Djunginy and a number of other Ganalbingu women produced a suite of fine bark paintings as part of the Kluge Commission.

Djunginy won the National NAIDOC 2011 Artist of the Year Award. She was commissioned to create work for the 2013 Exhibition String Theory: Focus on Contemporary Art, held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW.

Daughter of renowned artist Ngulmarmar and sister of deceased artists George Milpurrurru and Charlie Djurritjini, she was briefly married to David Gulpilil the actor.

Fabric hand printed by: Publisher Textiles, Sydney

Fabric care instructions:
Gentle cold/ warm hand wash. Do not bleach, warm rinse well, do not tumble dry, cool iron only, dry cleanable (P).