Iwayi (Saltwater crocodile) 2019

Naomi Hobson’s ceramic Iwayi vessels depict an important icon for the First Peoples of northern Australia. The saltwater crocodile is not only revered for being the dominant land-dwelling predator of this region, but also for its totemic ties to Aboriginal lore and being. 

Growing up in the rural town of Coen, Hobson has a connection to the Kaantju and Umpila peoples of the Far North Queensland river systems the Iwayi calls home. The artist pays homage to the crocodile’s appearance, carving its diamond-shaped scales sgraffito style into the surface of the vessel. Triangular protrusions around the necks represent the animal’s spiked back. Within these shapes, Hobson has incorporated the body-painting designs used on the east coast of the Cape York Peninsula in ceremonies held to celebrate the Iwayi.