Barbara Weir "Grass Seed"

Barbara Weir, Grass Seed Dreaming.

305cm x 185cm

Barbara Florence Weir was born in 1945 at what was formerly known as Bundy River Station in the region of Utopia, North East of Alice Springs; her mother the late Minnie Pwerle, renowned Utopia and Australian artist, and her father an Irish station owner Jack Weir. 

Being of mixed heritage Babara was hidden from welfare patrol from the age of two and ‘grown up’ by her Aunty, the most famed female Aboriginal artist of all time, the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye. At the age of nine Barbara was taken away from her family by welfare while collecting water at Utopia Station, now known as Utopia Homestead. She is one of the people known as the “stolen generation”. Barbara was taken to Bungalow (now known as the Telegraph Station) to get cleaned up, then taken to St Mary’s Home in Alice Springs. She was later moved to various children’s homes around Australia before eventually returning to Darwin. During these years she was forced to speak English and forget her native tongue, and was told that her mother was dead. Though she lost contact with her family she was determined to return to them, to show she was alive and reclaim her heritage.