Lindsay Bird Mpetyane

One of few male Utopia artists, Lindsay Bird Mpetyane is an important tribal leader of his country, Ilkawerne, in the Utopia District which is north east of Alice Springs. He is the cousin to Greeny Petyarre and brother-in-law to Ada Bird.

One of the themes to Lindsay’s painting is his reference to sacred ceremonial sites where “Men’s business” is conducted. Lindsay most often depicts these sites in a circular style surrounded by hunting weapons which are the spirits keeping the area safe. These paintings are simple in their design but very strong in their meaning reflecting Lindsay’s respect for the ceremonies conducted at these sites.

In this painting the artist has set about to explain the rituals of ceremony commemorating the Rainbow Serpent. The ceremony is conducted at different sites and are designated by roundels. Men and women gather together to perform ceremonies associated with the Creation figure. The snakes represent the different areas where the Serpent travelled (Amaroo to Mulga Bore) during the Creation era. The background represents the different textures of the land.

Provenance:
Outback Alive, Qld MB1636
Private collection, Vic
Deutscher-Menzies, Melbourne June 2000 Lot 85
Menzies Estate Collection, Vic
Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Outback Alive and 2 working photos.