Grass Seed Dreaming, 2004

synthetic polymer paint on linen

122 x 91.5 cm, 125 x 94.5 cm frame

$8,000

Provenance: Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Cat No. MB24464 Private Collection NSW Newstead Art, Fine Australian Aboriginal Art Auction, 17 August 2025, Lot 91
Artwork story: Barbara Weir was born on Bundy River Station and was a member of the Stolen Generation. She later reconnected with her mother, Minnie Pwerl, and her extended family, rising to artistic prominence in the 1990s with shimmering, texturally abstracted paintings. Her Grass Seed Dreaming works refer to an important women's story from Atnwengerrp country. Native grass seeds, once ground into flour and forming a dietary staple, were gathered in a process interwoven with kinship, ceremony, and seasonal cycles. In Weir's hands, this ancient practice transforms into pure visual rhythm; the fine linework suggests movement, wind, and abundance. These paintings are often described as meditative, even musical, with a surface complexity that invites close attention. Her career, marked by international exhibitions and critical acclaim, positioned her as a key voice in the Utopia movement and a compelling figure for contemporary collectors.

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c.1945 – 2023

synthetic polymer paint on linen

122 x 91.5 cm, 125 x 94.5 cm frame

$8,000

Provenance: Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Cat No. MB24464 Private Collection NSW Newstead Art, Fine Australian Aboriginal Art Auction, 17 August 2025, Lot 91
Artwork story: Barbara Weir was born on Bundy River Station and was a member of the Stolen Generation. She later reconnected with her mother, Minnie Pwerl, and her extended family, rising to artistic prominence in the 1990s with shimmering, texturally abstracted paintings. Her Grass Seed Dreaming works refer to an important women's story from Atnwengerrp country. Native grass seeds, once ground into flour and forming a dietary staple, were gathered in a process interwoven with kinship, ceremony, and seasonal cycles. In Weir's hands, this ancient practice transforms into pure visual rhythm; the fine linework suggests movement, wind, and abundance. These paintings are often described as meditative, even musical, with a surface complexity that invites close attention. Her career, marked by international exhibitions and critical acclaim, positioned her as a key voice in the Utopia movement and a compelling figure for contemporary collectors.