Grace Reid is a Jirrbal artist working at the Girringun Aboriginal Arts Centre, home to multi-award winning artists and craftsmen. Located in Cardwell, Queensland, Girringun represents artists from nine Traditional Owner Groups: the Nywaigi, Gugu Badhan, Warrgamay, Warungnu, Bandjin, Girramay, Gulnay, Jirrbal and Djiru people.
The traditional country of these groups covers some 25,000 square kilometres of country in the state's far-north. Objects from this country are significantly different from those of much of the rest of Australia. Weaving is done by both men and women, and the diversity of resources between land and sea have resulted in a vast array of implements being crafted for use.
A living functioning art centre, it is not unusual to see artists in the workshop developing new work and honing their craft. The stories and environments of this ancient culture are being transformed daily into visual images and designs by weavers, painters, potters, textile artists and makers of traditional objects. These artists bring to life the unique cultural story and expression of the distinctive Aboriginal rainforest art traditions and culture of the Girringun region, to share with the world.
Reid creates sculptural figures, inspired by the bagu, a part of the fire-making equipment traditionally used by Aboriginal people living in the rainforest region.
The form and imagery of the bagu with jiman artwork has its origins in the sky. A mystical spirit of fire, would throw the jiman (firesticks) across the sky and a trail of fire would follow.
Based on the traditional fire making implements of the Girringun rainforest Aboriginal people, Girringun artists create artworks made from clay, timber and string to evoke the spirit of the old people.
Traditionally, the firesticks were made up of two parts, the Bagu (body) and Jiman (sticks). Bagu is normally made from the boogadilla (milky pine tree) and Jiman are made from mudja (wild guava tree) or jiman. The bagu form was founded in the shape of a man, and a spirit design was created with traditional clays and the ochre colours are magera yellow, jillan, black with wallaby blood and garba white.A bagu was crucial for both transporting fire sticks and for making fire in the wet and humid climate. Its shaped base had two hollows in it, into which a stick from the jiman tree was rotated in contact with some dry grass, until a spark was produced.
Collections
National Museum of Australia