Untitled (from 'Cyclone Thelma' series) 1999

In December 1998, Severe Tropical Cyclone Thelma swept across the north coast of Australia, passing over the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin. The storm disrupted power and communications, and the entire telephone service for the Islands was disabled for 24 hours. During this time, Kitty Kantilla and other Tiwi artists sheltered in the Jilamara Arts Centre at Milikapiti, on Melville Island.

Kantilla's work Untitled (from ‘Cyclone Thelma’ series) is from a group of artworks entitled ‘Arukulunga Wanitaka Thelma’, which translates as ‘Big Wind Thelma’. Other Tiwi artists, including Jean Baptiste Apuatimi, Maryanne Mungatopi, Janice Murray and Freda Warlapinni, also made etchings of the disaster.