'Black Opal' - Acrylic on Canvas - by Dwayne Wannamarra Wyndier Kennedy

This vibrant abstract is a profound testament to survival and the hard-won connection to Country. It is the artist's ancestral dreaming, born from a family history of resilience in the face of immense loss. The bold colours channel the story of the Dreamtime Serpent, creating beauty and light from the deep, dark earth of Lightning Ridge.

Collection: Continuity Collection
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 100 x 80 x 2 cm (approx. 39 x 31.5 in.)
Year: 2025

Story & Narrative Significance

This painting is a journey into the heart of resilience. It is the artist's traditional dreaming of the Dreamtime Serpent, a story of creation that takes on profound meaning when viewed through the lens of his family's history.

This is not a story of peaceful, intergenerational ownership, but of a hard-won reconnection to Country in the wake of unimaginable loss and atrocities sadly common in Australia's colonial history. The family's presence in Lightning Ridge today is a testament to their absolute strength and survival.

Therefore, the creation of opal in this painting—something precious and full of light, born from the deep, dark earth under immense pressure—becomes a powerful metaphor for the endurance of culture and spirit against all odds. This is a significant work for a collector who understands that true history is complex, and that the most powerful art often rises from a place of deep truth and survival.