John Patrick Kelantumama (Yell)
Turtle Boat
A member of the Tiwi Design Studio from 1976 until its closure
in 1989, Kelantumama rejoined the studio when it reopened in
1999. One of the artists keen to reinvigorate the pottery by
exploring new directions such as the creation of sculptural pieces,
Kelantumama says of his art: "I saw the old people doing
their art, their designs looked great. I was keen to learn to
keep our culture going….I feel really good when doing my art".
The construction of three dimensional forms in clay, with
complex designs that are derived from those used on the body during
ceremonies, results in an object that is not too dissimilar from
Tiwi wood carving. Using slab and coil techniques the clay is
fired and then painted. Here the artist has created a turtle
shaped boat complete with head and flippers in which three hunters
are seated. In this dynamic piece both the boat and people
are painted with designs that are quite distinctive from those
found on the mainland. Hunting is an important activity and a
popular subject. The artist said of his Turtle boat that it
was a "Boat for turtle hunting. Older person teaches a young
one to make harpoon and then shows him how to hunt turtle."