Irene Mbitjana Entata / Arrernte/Luritja people / Australia 1946–2014 / Pot: Cows 2000 / Earthenware, hand-built terracotta clay with underglaze colours / 36.5 x 29cm (diam.) / Purchased 2002 with funds derived from the Cedric Powne Bequest / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Irene Mbitjana Entata

Irene Mbitjana Entata
Pot: Cows 2000

Not Currently on Display

The decoration on this pot reflects Irene Entata’s direct experience of the cattle industry in Central Australia, as there are many working properties in the vicinity of Hermannsburg. Goats are the hardiest of animals and thrive in near desert conditions of the area, and provide a source of milk and meat for the property workers. Cattle are sold and exported for the region’s economic benefit.

Entata’s depiction of cattle and goats is especially appealing, and this pot exhibits all the best features of her naive style: direct application of colour, delight in detail and uncomplicated charm. The scattering of pink and white flowers in the foreground is depicted in an equally naive style.

Irene Mbitjana Entata is regarded as one of the foremost potters in the Hermannsburg School. She was born at Hermannsburg in 1946 to Rolf Entata, a Luritja/Western Arrernte man, and Millicent Entata, a Walpiri/Luritja woman from Wynparrka. She attended school at Hermannsburg where she did some drawing and plasticine modelling, and recalls watching Albert Namitjira painting.

She first began making pots at Tjamankura with her sister Virginia Rontji in 1990 and became a foundation member of the Hermannsburg Potters. Typically, Hermannsburg pots use the most ancient of pottery techniques, coil-building, and are then smoothed into shape. Irene Entata was a highly dedicated potter and talented animal modeller. Some of the themes she used on her pots were native Australian animals, such as bats, bilbies, ducks, emus, geckos, lizards, mice, parrots, quolls and skinks; introduced animals, such as goats, rabbits, pigs, camels and sheep; exotic animals, such as elephants, reindeers, polar bears, dinosaurs and tropical fish; and native plants including wild blackberries, yams, bush raisins, bush oranges and bush bananas.1 She also painted distinctive landscapes using bold colours with black outlining.

Endnotes:

1. Biography based on ‘Hermannsburg potters: now we are working in clay’. MAGNT, Darwin, 1996, unpaginated.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think the cows and goats symbolised for Entata?

2. How would you describe the relationship between the hand modelled cows on the lid and the decoration on the surface of the pot? How do these two elements work together?

Activities

Using modelling material such as air-dry clay or plasticine, create a figurine of your favourite animal. Think about how you might incorporate your figurine into a pot or vessel.