The artist has painted Ngalyod, the Rainbow Serpent. Ngalyod is regarded as a most important ancestor spirit in West Arnhem Land and appears in various manifestations in Kunwinjku mythology. In the Dreamtime she assumed a range of animal forms including snake, kangaroo and crocodile and at times transformed herself from one to the other, or into a combination of each. It is believed that as a serpent she tunnels underground using barbed extensions from her head and the bony protuberance from her neck as aids. It is believed that Ngalyod dwells in various billabongs in Arnhem Land today, sometimes swallowing bininj (the Kunwinjku term for Aboriginal people) as punishment when they break traditional laws.
Ngalyod is painted by many Kunwinjku artists, according to each artist’s own imagination and mythological background. She is often depicted with the leaves of the mandem (water lily) protruding from her back. The hatching technique used for the in-fill of the body is called rarrk.

Size 95 x 25 cm | Medium Bark | Catalogue # 6807-18 | Year 2018

Artist  Shadrack Patlas

Shadrack Patlas is currently producing the following artworks:

• Small and medium original paintings (acrylic on Arches)
• Hand painted bookmarks (acrylic on Arches)
• Mural painting on external wall of Injalak Arts centre (men’s studio side)

Shadrack has an outgoing positive outlook and enjoys painting, spending most of his days at Injalak Arts. This allows him to engage with both persons familiar and unfamiliar to him. Shadrack has regularly been engaged as an artist-in-residence as part of the Kakadu National Park’s Seasonal Ranger Program. These artists visit Merll campground in Kakadu and teach traditional rarrk painting techniques to visitors from Australia and around the world. Shadrack’s social skills have been improved by these regular interactions with people from all walks of life.Shadrack Patlas is the son of Margaret Djorlom and Richard Patlas.

further details

Size 95 x 25 cm
Medium  Bark
Catalogue # 6807-18
Year 2018