John Mawurndjul
(Australia 1952– )
- Language group
- Kuninjku, Arnhem region
- Title
- Mimihs at Milmilngkan
- Other titles:
- Mimihs at Minmilgan
Mimih at Milmilngkan - Place of origin
-
Liverpool River →
Western Arnhem Land →
Northern Territory →
Australia
- Year
- 1989
- Media category
- Bark painting
- Materials used
- natural pigments on eucalyptus bark
- Dimensions
-
249.0 x 95.0cm
- Signature & date
- Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Purchased 2002
- Accession number
- 98.2002
- Copyright
- © John Mawurndjul. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
John Mawurndjul's painting 'Mimihs at Milmilngkan' 1989 is an outstanding example of the late 1980s Mawurndjul. During his painting career the artist has gradually moved from depicting familiar representations of such spiritual entities as Ngalyod the rainbow serpent and the mermaid-like female spirits or yawkyawks, to dazzling abstract patterning that completely covers the bark. These 'abstract' bark paintings represent body painting for the Mardayin ceremonies and relate to sites near his homeland at Mumeka. There is also a connection with the dazzling optical effects associated with the skin of the rainbow serpent.
Mawurndjul is arguably the finest bark painter working at the moment. He is particularly noted for his fine rarrk and the distinctive patterning that is displayed in the painting 'Untitled' 2000. Mawurndjul was tutored by his brother Jimmy Njiminjuma (b.1945) and uncle, Peter (Djakku) Marralwanga (c.1916-1987), both superb artists.
John Mawurndjul has had solo exhibitions at Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi in Melbourne since 1991. He regularly shows at Annandale Galleries in Sydney and his work is in many public and private collections in Australia and overseas. Mawurndjul has won several prizes including the 1999 Telstra Bark Painting Award at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award held by the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory.
© Australian Art Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2002
- Bibliography (4)
-
Claus Volkenandt (Germany; Switzerland) (Editor), Christian Kaufmann (Switzerland) (Editor), Between indigenous Australia and Europe: John Mawurndjul: art histories in context, Canberra, 2009, 39, 40 (illus.), 215 (illus.). titled 'Mimih at Milmilngkan'; figure 6 and figure 47
Guido Magnaguagno (Director), Bernhard Lüthi (Curator), "rarrk" John Mawurndjul: journey through time in northern Australia, Basel, 2005, 104 (colour illus.), 227.
Hetti Perkins (Australia), Crossing country: the alchemy of western Arnhem Land art, Sydney, 2004, 75 (colour illus.), 226.
'Year in review', pg. 8-25., Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2002 2002, 2002, 8, 9 (colour illus.).
- Exhibition history (4)
-
Crossing country: the alchemy of Western Arnhem Land art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 24 Sep 2004–12 Dec 2004.
rarrk – John Mawurndjul: Zeitreise in Nordaustralien, Museum Tinguely, 21 Sep 2005–29 Jan 2006.
rarrk – John Mawurndjul: Zeitreise in Nordaustralien, Sprengel Museum Hannover, 19 Feb 2006–06 Jun 2006.
The Dreamers (2009-10), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 09 May 2009 -.
