THE ARTIST

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Jesse Bell is a local Darwin artist, he growing up in Adelaide River. He has Maori Heritage and spent a time living in New Zealand, this is where he first developed a passion for painting, having to opportunity to work with some amazing local artists.

 

When he moved back to Darwin as a young adult he continued to develop his painting skills in the graffiti scene. He was quickly recognised as a talented artists and began to be commissioned to paint realism. Specialising in animals and portraiture. He now works as a full-time as a street artwork painting various commissions. 

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THE ARTWORK

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The Leichhardt grasshopper is named after Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt who was a famous German explorer and naturalist, born 23 October 1813died - 1848.  Leichdardt first wrote about the grasshopper with its bright colours in 1945 on his self funded exploration trip from Brisbane to Port Essington in 1945.  The grasshopper has wings but rarely uses them as it lives exclusively on the pityrodia bush. 

They are found in Kakadu National Park, West Arnhem, Nitmiluk National Park and Keep River National Park in Western NT.  

They are significant in Indigenous culture as the signify the change of the seasons in October during the buildup to the first rains of the year.  Gundjeihmi call the grasshopper Alyurr and believe they are the children of Namarrgon who is Lightning man and a powerful ancestral creator.