Collection
Unknown
(Australia)
- Title
- Mimih man and woman
- Other titles:
- Mimi man and woman
- Place of origin
-
Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) →
Western Arnhem Land →
Northern Territory →
Australia
- Year
- (1948)
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- natural pigments on paper on cardboard
- Dimensions
-
58.4 x 45.0cm image/sheet; 76.0 x 63.2 x 3.5cm frame
- Signature & date
- Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Gift of the Commonwealth Government 1956
- Accession number
- 9274
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
The Mimi whose homes are under the great rocks of the plateau, are particularly tall and thin, so thin in fact that they can hunt only in still weather otherwise the wind would break their frail bodies. They are also remarkably keen in both sight and hearing. If, while hunting, the Mimi detect the approach of Aboriginal people, they run quickly to a cleft in the rocks of the plateau and blow upon it. The rocks then open to admit the Mimi, closing behind them to keep out intruders.
[Charles P. Mountford, 'Records of the American-Australian scientific expedition to Arnhem Land vol. 1: Art, myth and symbolism']
- Bibliography (5)
-
Jonathan Jones, Mountford Gifts: Works from the American-Australian scientific expedition to Arnhem Land 1948 2009, 'Mountford Gifts: Works from the American-Australian scientific expedition to Arnhem Land 1948', pg. 1-5, Sydney, 2009, 3, 4, 6 (colour illus.).
National Art Gallery of New South Wales, Purchases and Acquisitions for 1956 National Art Gallery of N.S.W. 1956, Sydney, 1956, 22. cat.no. 55; titled 'Mimi man and woman'
Hetti Perkins, Crossing country: the alchemy of western Arnhem Land art 2004, Sydney, 2004, 145 (colour illus.), 230.
Cara Pinchbeck, Look Feb 2009, 'Aboriginal treasures: From the early days of the Gallery’s Indigenous collection', pg. 23, Newtown, Feb 2009, 23 (colour illus.). titled 'Mimi man and woman'
Public Programmes Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Crossing country: the alchemy of western Arnhem Land art 2004, 'Early collecting in western Arnhem Land', Sydney, 2004, (colour illus.).
- Exhibition history (2)
-
Crossing country: the alchemy of Western Arnhem Land art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 24 Sep 2004–12 Dec 2004
Mountford Gifts: Works from the American Australian scientific expedition to Arnhem Land 1948, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 21 Mar 2009–03 Jun 2009
