Magnificent gift for Obama
The Northern Territory Government has announced that an artwork by senior and well respected Tiwi Island artist, Jean Baptiste Apuatimi will be given to US President Barack Obama to mark his visit to Darwin on 17 November. The Tiwi artwork was chosen because the islands have particular significance to the Darwin bombing during World War II as they were the first ones to see the planes flying towards Darwin. American soldiers on the Tiwi islands were also killed when they were bombed.
Jean Baptiste was born in 1940 on Melville Island, which is one of the islands in the Tiwi islands. The Tiwi Islands are 100 kilometres north of Darwin. Tiwi art is a form of traditional body markings used in traditional ceremonies and is now expressed on canvas. This senior Tiwi artist has exhibited in numerous of exhibitions nationally and internationally. She is a Copyright Agency member and has received several royalties under the Resale Royalty scheme.
Item posted on 17 November 2011.