Wings of Memories

At the heart of this Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterfly sits a kundu drum, replacing its body and giving rhythm to its flight. Patterns drawn from across Papua New Guinea fill its wings, bringing our many cultural identities together in one form.

The butterfly represents something uniquely ours. The kundu accompanies our voices, carrying the rhythm of songs that tell our stories, hold our memories and connect generations. It remains a significant instrument in both traditional and contemporary Papua New Guinean music. Together, butterfly and drum become a symbol of our stories taking flight, carrying the sounds and identities that belong to this land.

She rises into a blue sky, surrounded by lush forest greens. These colours celebrate the beauty of our forests and remind us of what we stand to lose when they disappear. The forests sustain the life that inspires our art, songs and stories. Protecting them means protecting the places where those stories began and where new ones will be made.

Through this work, I imagine our songs carried on wings, alive with the patterns of our people. To protect the past is to give the future something to inherit.

Dimensions:
51cm(w) x 61cm(h)

Medium:
Posca pen, acrylic, graphite and gold leaves cotton duck canvas.

HIGH QUALITY prints of this work is available to order as well. Click here.

Free shipping within Australia. Other countries, please contact us for best available shipping option.