Nancy Bag – Bula’bula – Bottles (hand printed in Oz)

Fabric: Linen feature fabric. Lining and matching fabric is cotton.

Colours: The base cloth is sand and the inks are black and white. The complementary fabric is black.

*
H: 25 cm (10 inches)
W: 25 cm (10 inches)
Base: 16 cm/6.25 inches.

Features

• Fully lined
• Zip closure
• Adjustable strap
• Can be worn on the shoulder or cross body
• Oval base makes its capacity generous
• External zipper pocket on rear
• Internal zip pocket
• Quality notions
• Limited edition
• Fabric story supplied with the bag
• Fabric hand printed by Publisher Textiles in Sydney

The artists are paid a royalty fee for every metre printed.

This bag was made by our fair trade partners Kravan House, our partner social enterprise that has been employing, training and supporting disabled artisans in Cambodia since 2003. It is one of Cambodia’s oldest social enterprises. Please note that each bag is unique and the placement of the fabric design is different and wonderful on each item.

The designer: Robyn Djunginy (dec)

Featured Fabric Design: Bottles

Djunginy was born in 1947 to father, acclaimed artist, Ngulmarmar and sister to artists George Milpurrurru and Charlie Djurritjni. Djunginy is renowned for her contribution to Contemporary Indigenous Art, being one of the first Ramingining women to showcase her weaving skills on a global scale.

Djunginy was best known for her pandanus dyed and woven bottles and painted bottle form which has been the predominate motif throughout Djunginy’s work. The inspiration for this motif arose while living at Mulgurrum outstation, where several Italian Chianti bottles existed in the community. Encouraged to weave these bottles by then art curator of Bula’Bula Arts Djon Mundine, Djuniny’s bottles were soon acquired by many public institutions and private collections.
The bottle motif is also in reference to Djunginy’s mother’s group the Marrangu Djinang, where the bottles, shaped like beehives, represent the honey story in Ramingining, Central Arnhem Land. In contrast, the woven bottle motif is also representative to the use and misuse of alcohol in all communities, remote and urban.
Djunginy’s bottle motif is also depicted in painted form, however, the painted bottles were representations of the swampland in Ramingining, with the bottles referencing bark canoes gliding through the swamp water, and painted in traditional rarrk design.
Djunginy’s first exhibition was held in 1983 at the George Paton Gallery, Melbourne. Successfully awing the audience with the detail and colour of the woven bottles, her bottles were then featured in the 1998 Sydney Biennale, showcasing Indigenous weaving as Contemporary Art.
Djunginy won the National NAIDOC 2011 Artist of the Year Award. Djunginy was commissioned for the 2013 Exhibition String Theory: Focus on Contemporary Art, held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, NSW for her woven bottles.
Djunginy experienced great success both nationally and internationally, with over 30 group exhibitions, and work in numerous public and private collections.

Art centre:

Bula’Bula Arts is a non-profit, fully Aboriginal owned arts corporation located in Ramingining in Central Arnhem Land in remote Australia. The members make beautiful arts and crafts. Bula’Bula Arts is registered as a charity in Australia.