Carved animals are made by artists including Queenie Kemarre, Louie Pwerle, Billy Petyarre and Wally Pwerle, Elizabeth Kngwarreye at the Ngkawenterre camp in the Utopia homelands. This particular camp is known for the carved animals made there.
Goannas, lizards, echidnas and kangaroos are sought after for food, as 'bush tucker', while the dogs are 'devil dogs'
The devil dogs assist the ritual law enforcer, Kwertatye, in the beliefs of this group of Aboriginal people. Carved figures were made in earlier times, but it is not known what these were. The Ngkwarlerlaneme people at Utopia have revived the practice, following the introduction of acrlic painting in the 1980s; the dogs are painted in the manner of acrylic painting. Similalry the silk batiks made by this group often inlcude figures or representations of anumals and figures, real or mythological.

Figure, dog, 'Devil Dog', wood, Wally Pwerle, Utopia Station, Northern Territory, Australia, 1990

Wooden figure 'devil dog', elongated, ovoid shape with pointed nose, short square legs and long thick tail. Painted in acrylic, brown and black stripes, head, underbelly and tip of tail white (stripes too were painted over a white ground), black eyes, nostrils and mouth. (BF)

Made: Pwerle, Wally; Utopia, Northern Territory; 1990

Inside left foreleg, black paint 'W.P.'. Under tail in black paint 'WP'.

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1990

160 mm

130 mm

490 mm