Tjanpi tjina: movement and marks

Tjanpi is a Pitjantjatjara word that describes all kinds of grasses including spinifex grass.

Tjina means foot, feet and tracks.

These sculptures made from grass can be described as feet – human and animal, but they can also be read as tracks or the marks that animals and humans make. As markers of human and animal movement, they make visible what is rarely seen – the steady movement of people and animals across the landscape.

  1. Choose three animals from this list and move your body in a way that mirrors how they move: hopping mouse, diamond python, kangaroo, echidna, emu, dingo, bilby, wombat
  2. Now turn these movements into marks by working with charcoal or pastel on paper. Consider the size of the marks relative to the size of the animal. Think about the speed and pressure applied when making your mark.
  3. Combine the marks of your animals onto one coloured or textured surface.
  4. Display and compare with others. Can you identify their animals?

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