Three Dilly Bags, c.1996

25 x 12 cm each

Est. $600 – $800

Hammer $480

Provenance: Maningrida Arts and Culture, Arnhem Land, NT, Invoice No. 0273 Private Collection, Albany NY
Artwork story: These three finely woven dilly bags embody the enduring strength of fibre art in Central Arnhem Land. Traditionally used by women for gathering food, dilly bags carry both practical and ceremonial value, their woven structures often dyed with natural pigments that reflect Country. The top bag, by Dixie Wulparmiddja, shows tight banding in natural earth tones, while the two lower bags, by Marie Minyakuma, display striking horizontal striping and warm monochrome fields. Their variation demonstrates the individuality of artists within Maningrida’s rich weaving traditions, while also pointing to shared techniques passed between generations of women. Today, fibre works from Maningrida are recognised not only for their utilitarian origins but as powerful expressions of cultural continuity. These examples, acquired in 1996, date from a formative moment in the growing visibility of weaving from Arnhem Land in national and international collections.

Click to enlarge

Sale 2 · Lot 37

Dixie Wulparmiddja (Top) and Marie Minyakuma (Middle and Bottom)

25 x 12 cm each

Est. $600 – $800

Hammer $480

Provenance: Maningrida Arts and Culture, Arnhem Land, NT, Invoice No. 0273 Private Collection, Albany NY
Artwork story: These three finely woven dilly bags embody the enduring strength of fibre art in Central Arnhem Land. Traditionally used by women for gathering food, dilly bags carry both practical and ceremonial value, their woven structures often dyed with natural pigments that reflect Country. The top bag, by Dixie Wulparmiddja, shows tight banding in natural earth tones, while the two lower bags, by Marie Minyakuma, display striking horizontal striping and warm monochrome fields. Their variation demonstrates the individuality of artists within Maningrida’s rich weaving traditions, while also pointing to shared techniques passed between generations of women. Today, fibre works from Maningrida are recognised not only for their utilitarian origins but as powerful expressions of cultural continuity. These examples, acquired in 1996, date from a formative moment in the growing visibility of weaving from Arnhem Land in national and international collections.