In 1974, after Cyclone Tracy claimed the life of Rover Thomas’s relative, he experienced a series of dreams showing the journeys their spirit made between Darwin, Broome and the Kimberley. Inspired by those dreams, this painting is simultaneously a map, a narrative and a mythological emblem.

Blue tongue lizard reflects the genesis of Thomas’s practice and the inspiration that he took from objects used in the Gurirr-Gurirr (Kurrir-Kurrir) ceremony, in which dancers hold painted boards on their shoulders. The artwork relates to an area around Tunnel Creek, north of Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia, and is a good example of the minimalist style that is characterises Thomas’s work.