Munggurrawuy Yunupingu
(Australia circa 1907–12 Apr 1979)
- Language group
- Gumatj, Arnhem region
- Title
- Lany'tjung story (Crocodile, Bandicoot, Fire Dreaming)
- Other titles:
- Laindjung story, myth no 4 - Crocodile, bandicoot, fire dreaming
Lany'tjung story, myth no 4 - Crocodile, bandicoot, fire dreaming
Lany'tjung story no 4 - Crocodile, Bandicoot, Fire Dreaming - Place of origin
-
Yirrkala →
North-east Arnhem Land →
Northern Territory →
Australia
- Year
- 1959
- Media category
- Bark painting
- Materials used
- natural pigments on bark
- Dimensions
-
189.0 x 59.5cm (irreg.)
- Signature & date
- Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Gift of Dr Stuart Scougall 1959
- Accession number
- IA63.1959
- Location
- 20th & 21st c Australian art
- Further information
bottom: Mirgiwonnuru, a coastal location where the cliffs display different coloured pigments especially when it is raining. The coloured rocks greatly impressed the ancestors and they made it a sacred place. A decorated ceremonial digging stick for ritually digging pigments is shown.
lower centre: Badjidjbi Billabong, south of Caledon Bay. The crocodile Baru is shown with prominent scales on its back.
upper centre: The fire started at Wanabuy. A man named Guani'wani changed into a bandicoot during the fire and ran away.
top: The fire has burnt through the bush and grass and the glowing embers remain as shown by white dots linking the diamond shapes. Lany'tjung gave the name Gigawara to this locality and named other areas between Trial Bay and Caledon Bay.
The cross-hatching in this painting represents such aspects of the environment as lilies growing in the water, fresh water, the bandicoot's nest, the burning bush and an important aspect of the story, fire burning under water.
© Information provided by the artist
Australian Art Department, AGNSW, 2000
- Exhibition history (4)
-
Gamarada, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 15 Nov 1996–16 Feb 1997.
Australian icons: twenty artists from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 04 Aug 2000–03 Dec 2000.
ochre: bark paintings from the Collection (2000-01), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 02 Nov 2000–06 May 2001.
The Dreamers (2009-10), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 09 May 2009 -.
