322-25 – Kinyu – JANE GIMME

Artist : JANE GIMME
Title : Kinyu
Size/Medium : 1219 x 610mm: acrylic on canvas Painting

Biography

Jane Gimme is the daughter of the late Eubena Nampitjin (c.1929–2013), one of the most revered figures in Indigenous Australian art. Raised at the old Balgo mission, Jane was gently guided by her mother to uphold the ancestral knowledge and traditions of her people.

Today, Jane stands as a cultural and spiritual pillar of the Wirrimanu (Balgo) community. As a primary language speaker, she plays a vital role in passing down cultural knowledge to younger generations. She is also a committed church leader and a long-time member of the Warlayirti Artists Board, where she has served as both Chair and Vice-Chair.

Like her mother, Jane brings vibrant colour and deep symbolism to both canvas and silk. Her works are marked by clarity, structure, and a quiet intensity—painted with care, contemplation, and a spirit that seems to listen to the land itself. Her artistic journey is one of constant evolution, as she continues to deepen her connection with both medium and Country.

About this painting

In this work, Jane Gimme returns to her mother’s traditional Country: Kunawarritji (Well 33 on the Canning Stock Route), the place where she herself grew up.

The painting maps out the tali (sand dunes) that stretch across this vast desert landscape, with Kunawarritji, the central tjurrnu (soakwater), at the heart of the composition. The concentric brown circles mark the places where Kinyu, the ancestral spirit dog, once lived with her pups. In times of scarcity, when there was no kuka (meat) or mangarri (vegetable food), the elders would call upon Kinyu, who would provide—kangaroo, bush turkey, or whatever was needed to sustain the people.

This painting is a story of movement, survival, and the deep bonds between people and place. It depicts women journeying through Country, searching for sustenance and guided by the spiritual presence that continues to animate the land.