RICKY EMMERTON:
Publisher
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
Townsville City Council PO Box 1268
Townsville City, Queensland, 4810 galleries@townsville.qld.gov.au
©Galleries, Townsville City Council, and respective artists and authors, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-949461-61-2
Published on the occasion of Ricky Emmerton: Who Flash!
Artist
Ricky Emmerton
Publication and Design Development
Townsville City Council
Contributing Authors
Ricky Emmerton
Artwork documentation
Andrew Rankin
Acknowledgement of Country
Townsville City Council acknowledges the Wulgurukaba of Gurambilbarra and Yunbenun, Bindal, Gugu Badhun and Nywaigi as the Traditional Owners of this land. We pay our respects to their cultures, their ancestors, and their Elders – past and present – and all future generations.
Cover image
Ricky Emmerton, Waku Ilyangu – New Skin 2023
acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76.5 cm
Collection of the artist. Photographer: Andrew Rankin
RICKY EMMERTON:
RICKY EMMERTON:
Mintjapunii (make it flash) is how I was taught to paint by starting with a dark background to represent the vast Earth plane of the Ritjinguthinha (Dreamtime and Dreaming) from which creation sparked. Then the story of creation is represented with bright colours, patterns, designs and dots.
In the Ritjinguthinha, Kuathuat (Rainbow Serpent) shed its skin creating all the colours of the rainbow. All the colours made the Earth a beautiful and vibrant place to live in. To do a painting and mintjapunni recreates this act by beautifying an object and represents the spiritual essence of the creation ancestors which is still there today in natural forms such as rainbows.
Some of the paintings in “Who Flash!” are in this more traditional form with dark backgrounds. The other paintings are more
experimental using a new format of light, bright backgrounds. Both methods are mintja or flash. The dark backgrounds represent creation through a spiritualising of matter followed by a building up of mintja, while bright backgrounds are directly from the spiritual.
Kuathuat Ritjinguthinha is alive and well thanks to the efforts of Elders such as our Uncle Jimmy who were responsible for reviving Kalkatungu cultural practices. Aboriginal people’s spiritual religious view maintains that all matter is endowed with a spiritual quality forming relationships through songlines. Mintja or flash is the means of expressing and communicating this connection; connection to the spirit, to Country and to each other.
Ricky Emmerton
Kalkatungu Rain Askers No. 2 2023
acrylic on canvas, 76.5 x 122 cm
Kalkatungu Rain Askers No.1 2022
acrylic on canvas, 66 x 112 cm
Waku Ilyangu – New Skin 2023, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76.5 cm
Muu Kunti – Country is Home 2022, acrylic on canvas, 112 x 66 cm
Sinuosity 2023, acrylic on canvas, 76.5 x 122 cm
Muu Murtupuni – Countries Unite 2023
acrylic on canvas, 76.5 x 122 cm
Puthurrapunii – Fixing Properly 2023, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76.5 cm
Utaru Mulara 2023, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76.5 cm
LIST OF WORKS
Kalkatungu Rain Askers No.1 2022, acrylic on canvas, 66 x 112 cm
Kalkatungu Rain Askers No. 2 2023, acrylic on canvas, 76.5 x 122 cm
Muu Kunti – Country is Home 2022, acrylic on canvas, 112 x 66 cm
Waku Ilyangu – New Skin 2023, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76.5 cm
Muu Murtupuni – Countries Unite 2023, acrylic on canvas, 76.5 x 122 cm
Sinuosity 2023, acrylic on canvas, 76.5 x 122 cm
Puthurrapunii – Fixing Properly 2023, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76.5 cm
Utaru Mulara 2023, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76.5 cm