Deme Ngayi Napa Pupunyi – I made these mats with my hands

Ever since Regina Pilawuk Wilson’s golden yellow Syaw (fishnet) won the General Painting Award at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in 2003, her elegantly structured paintings have quietly but unequivocally fixed her name on the contemporary art map.

Regina Pilawuk Wilson is now Australia’s most senior contemporary female First Nations artist, and is one at the height of her creative powers. Wilson is the matriarch of her community and is a softly spoken, major force in the Australian art world today.

Michael Reid Sydney + Berlin is honoured to work with Regina Wilson and her Community, which has for two decades produced significant and bright creative outcomes.

Deme ngayi ngebenderridu tyabuty ngayi nimbi apirri nimbi demewurity yedi syaw, danifityatit dirrperderr e kuderri e Elifala kana Kagu dininganmadi waniwirrfimeleli Kagu wukume nyinda wadi leli. Ngenikeh ngayi mengindi yemewurity kana ngan caliku dide, deme tyabuty nayin nimbi deme wurity yedi apirri nimbi. Ngayi kana ngarimpek ngaganim tyabuty ngayi nimbi syaw demewurity yedi, nyinimbi deme nyinin ngarifityat pupunyi kana, deme ngayi ngarifityat syaw, pupunyi ngeremwurity ngaganim. Deme ngayi napa deti. Ngangi tyamen napa minde ngangi awa yeyi wirrim.

My grandfather, before European contact, used to make lots of fish traps to put in the rivers and billabongs to catch fish, turtle and prawns. My sister said for me to put the design onto the canvas so I can tell the story about what our grandfather used to do and the syaw and pupunyi, now the story is owned by me through painting and weaving. To share the story to the western world, wakai.

-Regina Pilawuk Wilson, 2024

For assistance with an acquisition please contact tobymeagher@michaelreid.com.au