Lot description
LILY KARADADA born c.1927 Wandjina, 2000 ochre on linen 40 x 40 cm; 41.5 x 41.5 cm (framed) bears inscription verso: 40 x 40, 8.8.00, Wandjina (rain spirit), N-1307-LK PROVENANCE Narrangunny Arts, Western Australia, Cat No. N-1307-LK The Collection of Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO and Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE, Sydney, New South Wales This painting depicts a Wandjina, a powerful rain and creation ancestor associated with the north-west Kimberley. These beings are understood as bringers of the monsoon and custodians of life, connected to water sources and the renewal of Country. Their presence is enduring, held in both painted form and in the landscape, particularly across rock shelters where their images have been maintained over generations. The figure is presented frontally, with large dark eyes, a mouthless face and a distinctive nose, surrounded by a halo of dotting. These elements are not decorative, but integral to the identity of the Wandjina, carrying layers of meaning connected to rain, water and the life it sustains. The surface is built through natural ochres, with the composition held in a tight and balanced field that gives the figure a strong, contained presence. © LILY KARADADA / Copyright Agency, 2026