Edward Blitner
Mimi Spirits by Edward Blitner
Skin Name:Taiita
Language:Marra - Alawa
Region:Katherine
Dreaming:Mimi Spirits,Totem: Bandiyan
1850 x 1000 unstretched canvas
This artwork depicts the Lightning Spirit called Namarrkon, a spirit being, who once lived above the clouds and had incredible powers to enforce electrical storms, which are associated with the monsoon weather in the Top End of Australia. The Lightning Spirit also ensured all aspects of Tribal Law was not broken, otherwise he would strike fearlessly with bolts of thunder and lightning as punishment. Also depicted in this artwork are Mimi Spirits, which are best explained as fairy like beings . They are described as having extremely thin elongated bodies, so thin as to be danger of breaking in case of gust of wind. These Spirits spend most of their time living in rock crevices. It is believed Mimi Spirits taught the first Australian Aboriginals to hunt, prepare food and use fire.
Artist Edward Blitner was born on the 24th December 1961.
Edward Blitner is from the Ngukkurr Community (now called Yugul Mangl) in Naijarlindji country on the Roper River, approx. 270km south-east off Katherine in the Northern Territory. Edward attended school at Concordia College in Adelaide until he was sixteen year old. As a young man he worked as a stock-man and farmhand.
Edward started painting when he was seven years old. Edward (Eddie) learned painting from his grandfather who painted on bark with natural ochre and while working on a particular painting, he recounted the Dreaming stories and taught the children appropriate songs and dance cycles.
"My grandfather would be painting on bark and we kids would sit around him and watch him grind the ochre's and mix the colours, after a while he would tell us the story for that particular painting and also teach us the songs and dance for that story. When he was in a very good mood, he let us paint the sides of the bark painting, that was my start."
It has taken Edward (Eddie) many years to learn to paint the stories and the Dreamings past on to him by his grandfather. Edward is also a accomplished woodcarver. Some of Eddy's bird carvings stand 2 meters high and are fully decorated and cross hatched (rrarrk). The detailed cross hatching shown in Edward's paintings and carvings, is the artist's family body design and is sacred to his clan.
This pairing has come directly from Edward and we look forward to an exhibition in the future supported by the Adelaide family.
Artist Edward Blitner was born on the 24th December 1961.
Edward Blitner is from the Ngukkurr Community (now called Yugul Mangl) in Naijarlindji country on the Roper River, approx. 270km south-east off Katherine in the Northern Territory. Edward attended school at Concordia College in Adelaide until he was sixteen year old. As a young man he worked as a stock-man and farmhand.
Edward started painting when he was seven years old. Edward (Eddie) learned painting from his grandfather who painted on bark with natural ochre and while working on a particular painting, he recounted the Dreaming stories and taught the children appropriate songs and dance cycles.
"My grandfather would be painting on bark and we kids would sit around him and watch him grind the ochre's and mix the colours, after a while he would tell us the story for that particular painting and also teach us the songs and dance for that story. When he was in a very good mood, he let us paint the sides of the bark painting, that was my start."
It has taken Edward (Eddie) many years to learn to paint the stories and the Dreamings past on to him by his grandfather. Edward is also a accomplished woodcarver. Some of Eddy's bird carvings stand 2 meters high and are fully decorated and cross hatched (rrarrk). The detailed cross hatching shown in Edward's paintings and carvings, is the artist's family body design and is sacred to his clan.
This pairing has come directly from Edward and we look forward to an exhibition in the future supported by the Adelaide family.