Mithinari Gurruwiwi
(Australia 1929–01 Nov 1976)
- Language group
- Galpu, Arnhem region
- Title
- Djaykung (File snakes)
- Place of origin
-
Yirrkala →
North-east Arnhem Land →
Northern Territory →
Australia
- Year
- circa 1960
- Media category
- Bark painting
- Materials used
- natural pigments on eucalyptus bark
- Dimensions
-
280.0 x 70.0cm (irreg.)
- Signature & date
- Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Gift of Professor Harry Messel 1987
- Accession number
- 392.1987
- Copyright
- © Estate of Mithinari Gurruwiwi. Licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency
- Location
- 20th & 21st c Australian art
- Further information
Mithinari Gurruwiwi was an exceptional and prolific artist from the Blue Mud Bay area of north-east Arnhem Land. Born in 1929, Gurruwiwi was taught to paint by Mawalan Marika and his works predominantly refer to the Galpu clan’s lands around Caledon Bay and Garrimala, further inland. Gurruwiwi’s works offer a seamless combination of figurative elements and abstract clan designs. His exquisite infilling techniques of delicate dots, fine lines and intricate cross-hatching, contrasted with bold areas of pure colour, enliven his works. This is especially evident in this work, one of the finest bark paintings in the Gallery’s collection. Completed when Gurruwiwi was only 30, the work depicts waterlily-covered billabongs that are home to plump file snakes, valued food sources that are just part of the riches to be found in Galpu country.
- Bibliography (9)
-
'A question of balance: How it is bringing changes to the old courts and beyond' by Barry Pearce, pg. 28-29., Look Sep 2009, Sep 2009, 28 (colour illus.).
Hetti Perkins (Australia) (Author), Margie West (Australia) (Author), Theresa Willsteed (Editor), One sun one moon: Aboriginal art in Australia, Sydney, 2007, 31 (colour illus.).
Hetti Perkins (Australia) (Author), Theresa Willsteed (Editor), Tradition today: Indigenous art in Australia, Domain, 2004, 54, 55 (colour illus.).
Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 215 (colour illus.).
Hetti Perkins (Australia) (Author), Ken Watson (Australia) (Author), A material thing - objects from the collection, Sydney, 1999.
'Yiribana', pg. 25., The Art Gallery of New South Wales Bulletin May 1997-Jun 1997, May 1997-Jun 1997, 25 (colour illus.).
'Yiribana Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Gallery', pg. 10-13., The Art Gallery of New South Wales Bulletin Oct 1994-Nov 1994, Oct 1994-Nov 1994, 10 (colour illus.).
Margo Neale (Australia) (Author), Yiribana: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collection, Sydney, 1994, 96, 97 (colour illus.), 137, 138. plate no. 45
Stephen Weeks (Editor), Greg Hilty (Editor), Thomas Hauffe (Editor), Aratjara: art of the first Australians, Dusseldorf, 1993, 176 (colour illus.), 337. cat.no. 48
- Exhibition history (9)
-
Aratjara: art of the first Australians, Stiftung Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 23 Apr 1993–04 Jul 1993.
Aratjara: art of the first Australians, Hayward Gallery, 23 Jul 1993–10 Oct 1993.
Aratjara: art of the first Australians, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 11 Feb 1994–23 May 1994.
Gamarada, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 15 Nov 1996–16 Feb 1997.
Bulada, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 23 Aug 1997–14 Dec 1997.
A material thing - Objects from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 31 Aug 1998–09 Feb 1999.
Another Country, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 04 Jul 1999–02 Apr 2000.
Title Deeds: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Works from the Collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 05 Jul 2000–05 Nov 2000.
One sun, one moon, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 03 Jul 2007–02 Dec 2007.
