Mama Graun - Mother of the South (50 Years of PNG)

This artwork was created to capture the essence of the Southern Region of Papua New Guinea. It is one of four works originally completed as part of a commissioned series. Due to the collector not meeting contractual obligations, the piece has, for the first time, been released to the public.

At the centre of the work is a Mekeo woman from Central Province. She stands as a quiet but powerful embodiment of the Southern Region, carrying the stories, identities, and responsibilities of Western, Gulf, Central, Milne Bay, and Oro provinces. Created in the year marking 50 years of Papua New Guinea’s independence, this work reflects both how far the nation has come and the shared responsibility of carrying its future forward.

Her headdress features four birds of paradise feathers arranged to echo the sails of the lakatoi. These sails represent journey, wayfinding, and collective movement; a reminder that nationhood is not static, but something we continue to carry together. Alongside this, elements of a Western Province headdress have been adapted and incorporated, adorned with gold leaf that appears throughout the artwork as a marker of value, continuity, and legacy. Subtle reva reva patterns from Central Province are woven into the composition, accompanied by delicate floral details. The layered textures of the headdress include fish-scale patterns, symbolising the Southern Region’s deep connection to the sea and its role in sustaining livelihoods.

Her face and body are marked with motifs developed from previous Grim Jordan works, continuing an ongoing exploration of pattern-making, identity, and cultural translation. At her chest sits a kina shell, highlighted with the largest application of gold leaf in the piece. This symbol speaks to the wealth of the Southern Region, not only material, but cultural, environmental, and spiritual, much of which continues to be rediscovered and revalued today. Along her arms, birds of paradise reappear, once again referencing the sails of the lakatoi, accompanied by flowing patterns of ocean currents and winding rivers that speak to movement, trade, and connection across land and sea.

Framing the composition are four quadrants, positioned at each corner of the artwork, forming boundary pillars that hold the piece together. Each contains a significant artefact representing a province within the Southern Region. At the top left is the Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterfly, the largest butterfly species in the world, native to Oro Province. At the bottom left is a Milne Bay lime pot, a culturally significant vessel used to store lime for betelnut, symbolising daily life, identity, and tradition. To the right sits the lakatoi, the iconic sailing vessel of the Central people, historically used for trade and long ocean voyages throughout the Southern Region and beyond. The final artefact is a gope mask from Gulf Province, representing ancestral presence, spirit, and the continuing life of cultural memory.

The artwork is bordered by layered patterns drawn from grass skirts, masks, land, and sea, incorporating references to mountains, rivers, oceans, and community. Together, these elements form a visual language that speaks to unity, resilience, and shared identity, a reflection on the Southern Region as Papua New Guinea marks fifty years of independence and looks toward the generations to come.

Dimensions:
152cm (h) x 102cm (w) - Please note the artwork comes in a floating oak frame with hanging mechanisms installed ready for display. It is also varnished for protection against the elements. 

Medium:
Posca Acrylic pens, gold leaf medium, acrylic paint, graphite and varnish on cotton duck canvas.