Lot 18

Gallerie Australis, Adelaide , cat no. MA CP 89104 (accompanied by documentation)

Johnson, V., The Art of Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Craftsman House, Sydney 1996, pl.52, p.122

"The subject of this painting is the desert sandhill frog that comes out of the ground at Mt Denison after heavy rains and feeds on the queen honey ants shown in the painting as larvae-like marks. The artist has connections to this Dreaming through his father: the story depicted in this painting belongs to Tjapaltjarris, Napaltjarris, Tjungurrayis and Nungurrayis. From Mt Denison the Frog Dreaming travels south as far as Ulumbarru, a large mountain near Haasts Bluff.
The grey shapes alongside the queen ants are puddles indicating heavy falls of rain. The blue circles in the corners of the painting show the frogs emerging from the ground. The U-shapes on either side of the centre and in each corner of the canvas are people digging for honey ants.
The striped areas on either side of the centre and in each corner of the canvas are body paint worn by the ceremonial participants. The intertwining lines at the top and bottom of the painting are body 'bands', arm and headbands made of hairstring and kangaroo sinews, also worn in the ceremonies for the Dreamings which the artist has interwoven in this painting.
(These notes are based on information supplied to the writer [Vivien Johnson) by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri in 1990. The painting was completed in Adelaide in 1989 with assistance from his daughter Michelle Possum Nunguurayi and another member of the artist's family)"

Johnson, V., Op cit, p168