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Biddee Baadjo was
born near Purrpurn, a spring water site in the Great Sandy Desert, about 1938.
This country of the Great Sandy Desert has no surface water, and knowledge of
its underground soaks and springs is critical to both animals and humans for survival.
Wangkatjungka people have incorporated knowledge of the water sources into their
song cycles, a learned body of knowledge that has been passed down through the
generations. Biddee's
paintings record the main feature of this region - its long rows of parallel sandhills
that flow out of the centre of the continent. Clearly visible from the air, these
bands of sandhills affect wind and rain patterns and have developed localised
conditions that form various biological pockets in the valleys between them. While
all are dry and arid through most of the year, some remain bare while others have
abundant vegetation. Her recent works mainly consist of blocks and strands of
colours which she creates by using the top of a paint-laden brush. Her
paintings have been exhibited in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Broome and Darwin.
Today Biddee lives at Wangkatjungka Community with husband Luurn Willie Kew. |