THE ART OF ISAWDI (FATE SAVARI)

A Collection of Barkcloth Art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea

THE ART OF ISAWDI (FATE SAVARI)

A Collection of Barkcloth Art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea

Australian Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) artwork by FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) of Omie Artists. The title is Self-portrait sitting down, tired and resting after telling all my old stories. [14-244] (Pencil and Ink on Paper) Australian Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) artwork by FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) of Omie Artists. The title is Self-portrait sitting down, tired and resting after telling all my old stories. [14-244] (Pencil and Ink on Paper)
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FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) (dec)

Self-portrait sitting down, tired and resting after telling all my old stories
Self-portrait sitting down, tired and resting after telling all my old...

14-244
Pencil and Ink on Paper
 Self-portrait sitting down, ti… | 14-244
Pencil and Ink on Paper
 22 x 30.5cm | 8.66 x 12.01in (irregular)
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In 2012 at Gora Art Centre, Fate Savari presented a schoolbook she had obtained from her granddaughter. It was filled from front to back with drawings about her ancestral Ömie stories (including the creation story), histories, culture and clan designs. There were also some loose pages in the front and back of the schoolbook and more drawings on paper wrapped up in a larger drawing on paper. Fate created the book and drawings because she felt a great urgency to record her profound knowledge before she passed away. She used whatever materials she could find on hand. After presenting this first book, Fate requested “another book and drawing materials” so she could still create art during the seasons that she didn’t have any barkcloth to paint. So in 2014, Fate filled yet another drawing book with her art and this drawing is from that second collection of drawings.

Fate has drawn a self-portrait. This drawing was created in the pages towards the end of her second drawing book. She says the circular design is her sitting down because she is feeling tired yet content, resting after telling all of her old stories.

The borders are orriseegé or ‘pathways’ through the gardens and provide a compositional framework for the designs. Other designs:

~ The short bristle-like design that can be seen is dubidubi han’e, representing the leaf of a rainforest vine that often grows on mountaintops.

~ The criss-cross design is mi’ija’ahe, animal (wallaby) bones found while digging in the garden.

In 2012 at Gora Art Centre, Fate Savari presented a schoolbook she had obtained from her granddaughter. It was filled from front to back with drawings about her ancestral Ömie stories (including the creation story), histories, culture and clan designs. There were also some loose pages in the front and back of the schoolbook and more drawings on paper wrapped up in a larger drawing on paper. Fate created the book and drawings because she felt a great urgency to record her profound knowledge...