Merlemerleh (Butterfly) by Alicia Mardday
Alicia Mardday excels in various fibre art forms, showcasing her expertise in pandanus weaving, single-element string looping, woven and coiled baskets, dilly bags, knotted fiber figures and animals, string bags, feather-adorned string bags, fish traps/nets, and mixed-medium fiber sculptures that often incorporate recycled materials.
In Alicia Mardday's community, merlemerle (butterflies) are a common sight, fluttering away into the trees when people approach. In the past, children would search for manyahyay (yellow flowering acacia) trees, always teeming with butterflies during their flowering season, providing hours of entertainment as kids playfully pursued them with sticks. It is suggested that when a butterfly circles you, it signals the arrival of visitors.
Alicia Mardday's roots trace back to Namagardabo outstation, and she met her partner, Timothy, in Gunbalanya before moving there in 2001. She honed her weaving skills under the guidance of her Aunt, Ngal bulanj Nabegeyo.
NOTE: This artwork requires ART FREIGHT SHIPPING. We will invoice for this separately following your purchase. Please enquire if you have any questions.
Injalak Arts & Crafts Association
Based in remote Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, Injalak Arts has over 200 active members and is a non-profit Aboriginal-owned charitable organisation.
Injalak Arts is an outstanding e...
Frequently Asked Questions
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We collaborate exclusively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, art centres and businesses. Our goal is to support them in their artistic, creative and cultural endeavours with the goal of creating a self-sustaining and self-determining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander retail and arts industry.
Our art and products are sourced from Aboriginal-owned businesses and Art Centers. Suppliers are carefully vetted to ensure their authenticity and businesses are certified by the Indigenous Art Code.
We will provide you with a certificate of authenticity with art purchases and relevant product information with other purchases. -
We support many amazing independent artists, art centres and businesses and love to promote them!
Our model of working isn’t about representation of a small stable of artists but rather a growing hub and an artistic community.
You can find a lot of information as you navigate our website. Check out the Artists and Brands pages. We often link to their websites so you can explore further. -
Each Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander artist, art centre and business are unique and prices are negotiated and can vary.
Generally speaking, we take a 30% commission on sales to cover our overheads; it costs to have a prime location in a Brisbane metro area, professional staff, insurances, marketing and communications, administration and general expenses running a gallery and retail space.