PADDY BEDFORD

Jirriwun Aboriginal Arts, Western Australia
Private collection, Canberra

Storer, R. et al, Paddy Bedford, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 2006, pp. 40, 149, retrospective exhibition catalogue, illus

There is no pigment loss or scuffing to the work and it appears to be in very good condition.
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Cf. See Joowinma - Gum Hole, 2000, pp.77, 147, and Lerndijwaneman - Bush Turkey, 2000, p.147 in the retrospective exhibition catalogue, 2006, illus

A depiction of the artist's uncle's country, Bedford used to ride through this place as a young stockman mustering cattle. The site depicted is on Bedford Downs Station and is called Jiljin by Gija people, or Red Pocket. Most of the ground here is heavy black soil apart from an area of red soil, hence the name Red Pocket. The painting depicts the big hills in plan view (although the space created by the artist is intentionally more ambiguous), separated by narrow gaps through which people walk and cattle are driven. The area contains many caves used by Gija as camp sites, and one large ceremonial cave at Jiljin.

In the chapter 'Are we strangers in this place?' (Museum of Contemporary Art, 2006, pp.37-9), Michiel Dolk discusses the compositional structures employed by the artist in his work. Dolk describes Bedford's '"intuitive" understanding of the dynamics of composition within the pictorial frame' as 'remarkable, but not naïve.' Paintings where the picture plane is divided into four quarters are derived from the 'pictorial schema that mirrors the stretcher or frame,' and these replicate compositions found in traditional dancing board constructions known as woorranggo. Such compositional devices can also be found in the paintings of Rover Thomas (c.1926-98)

This painting is sold with an accompanying Jirrawun Aboriginal Arts certificate