With the help of Australian designers Amanda McMillan and Brigida Stewart, artwork by the Warlukurlangu artist will be transformed into a dress for one of Australia’s leading fashion competitions.
, from the Yuendumu art centre, is currently studying Visual Arts at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.
He says this particular piece holds special significance.
“The design is part of my totem. It is an important totem, we call it ‘witi’. It belongs to the skin group of the Japaljarri and Jungarrayi.
“It's an important songline. I have a lot of respect for the totem that I have put on canvas."
The privilege of putting it on fabric, which I have never done before, is a challenge.
Amanda McMillian, Otto Sims and Cecilia Alfonso.
“We are trying to teach our young people, our young Indigenous people, to be successful in the art world. To try different avenues."
“The old people, the old artists before us, they worked really hard to give us these art centres so that we can work hard.”
Otto will travel to Melbourne to see his work on the runway at the Melbourne Cup Day Fashions on the Fields event on November 3.
