Bush Bananas (Makaparla)
Artist:
Nellie Gordon
(Indigenous Australian, born 1930)
Date: 2004
Place made:Western Australia, Australia
General region:Oceania
Medium: Natural ochre on canvas
Dimensions:
27 9/16 x 17 11/16 in. (70 x 45 cm)
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of the Lam Family
Object number: 2016.14.54
Copyright: © Nellie Gordon
Provenance: May Lam and Dr. Dorothy Lam, gift to San Antonio Museum of Art, 2016
Label Text
Makaparla is the Walmajarri word for bush bananas, an important food (bush tucker) of Indigenous Australians. Bush bananas are found on a winding vine that climbs up other trees and shrubs. The tasty fruit is oval shaped and looks like a small green avocado. All parts of the bush banana plant are edible, including the flowers, leaves and roots.
Nellie Gordon paints subjects of her native country, in the eastern portion of the Kimberley region. Characteristic of paintings from this area, Gordon’s subjects are rendered using simple shapes on a solid background, with natural ochre pigments and a delicate outline of white dotting.
(Exhibition label, 2017)
Nellie Gordon paints subjects of her native country, in the eastern portion of the Kimberley region. Characteristic of paintings from this area, Gordon’s subjects are rendered using simple shapes on a solid background, with natural ochre pigments and a delicate outline of white dotting.
(Exhibition label, 2017)
Not on view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
