SAMUEL NAMUNJDJA

Gungura

Samuel NamanjdjaGungura - with goanna tracks 2008

175 x 53 cm

SN 738 2466-08

Acknowledgements

Published 2008 by Annandale Galleries1500 copiesCopyright Maningrida Arts & Culture and Annandale Galleries

ISBN 978-0-9805402-1-5Design by Anne GregoryPrinted by Sydney Print & DesignAll other photography by Murray Fredericks 2008All barks & sculptures natural earth pigments and pva fixative

Front coverSamuel Namunjdja - 2008 bark 168 x 61 cm (detail)Frontice Samuel Namunjdja - Gungura - with goanna tracks, 2008 175 x 53 cm Back coverIrenie 2008 - 284 x 20 cm

Opening Reception Wednesday 16 April

6:30 - 9:00 pm

Exhibition dates 5 November - 5 Decem-

ANNANDALE GALLERIES

I n assoc ia t ion wi th Buku Larrngay Mulka110 Trafalgar Street Annandale Sydney NSW 2038 AustraliaTelephone (61-2) 9552 1699 Fax (61-2) 9552 1689annangal@ozemail.com.au www.annandalegalleries.com.auGallery Hours Tuesday - Saturday 11:00 - 5:00 pm ACGA

S A M U E L N A M U N J D J A &Y O U N G G U N S I I

bark paintings ceremonial poles sculpture

I n assoc ia t ion wi th Man ingr ida Ar ts & Cu l ture NE Arnhemland

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INtRODUCtION

- Bill Gregory Sydney October 2008

Samuel Namanjdja Cray Fish Dreaming, 2008

138 x 50 cmSN 746 3844-08

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pAGE 2 bILL’S ESSAY

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Samuel NamanjdjaGungura - with Goanna tracks 2008

102 x 32 cmSN 739 3606-08

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Samuel NamunjdjaGungura - The Spiralling Wind with goanna tracks 2008

148 x 60 cmSN 741 3251-08

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Samuel NamanjdjaGungura - with goanna tracks 2008

116 x 32 cmSN 744 2118-08

Samuel NamunjdjaGungura - with goanna tracks 2008

93 x 44 cmSN 745 3567-08 13

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Samuel NamanjdjaGungura - The Spiralling WInd & Yabbi 2008

147 x 63 cmSN 740 3304-08

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Samuel NamanjdjaGungura - The Spiralling Wind 2007

390 x 32 cmSN 742 4188-07

this page blank ochre

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Spiral WindSamson Bonson John BulunbulunElyssa Cameron

Joy GarblinAileena LamangaKay Lindjuwanga

Fiona Jin-Maginggal MasonJohn MawurndjulIvan NamirrikkiIrenie Ngalinba

Tommy Gondorra SteeleTimothy Wulanjbirr

Owen Yalandja

Introduction

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apolline essay

John Bulunbulun & Friends: the power of traditions

John Bulunbulun has been an artist for more than forty years and has been working Maningrida Arts & Culture (MAC) since its establishment in 1973. He has been instrumental in the development of MAC and has mentored many artists over the years, encouraging them to produce high quality art. Born in Central Arnhem Land in 1946, Bulunbulun is an eminent Ganalbingu ceremonial leader, singer and ac-claimed artist, who has made an immense contribution to Aboriginal art and culture. He first gained recognition for his work in 1977 when he was commissioned by the National Capital Development Commission in Canberra to paint Djakaldjirrparr, a large mural at their offices. He held his first solo exhibition at Hogarth Galleries in 1981 and then regularly exhibited in group shows. To date, he has participated in more than sixty exhibitions in Aus-tralia and overseas. He first exhibited at Annandale Galleries in 1997 with fellow artist John Mawurndjul. In 1998, he worked on a major public art project in collaboration with Art Incorporate, producing a bronze panel titled ‘Ganalbingu cosmology’ depicting Ganalbingu sacred places and stories. In 2001, he won the bark painting prize at the 18th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. In 2004, he won the Australia council’s prestigious Red Ochre Award for his outstanding lifelong contribution to Aboriginal culture and art. His work is represented in all major Australian public institutions and private collections. Bulunbulun has also campaigned for recognition of the intellectual property rights of artists through two landmark copyright cases (1988 and 1997).

In recent years, Bulunbulun has concentrated on teaching others and spending time at Wurdeja outstation where a small community of artists live. Tommy Gondorra Steele, an old Burarra friend, is now painting with him. They paint different stories as they belong to two different cultures but they share a passion for excellence, preparing with love and care their barks, looking for the best available ochres and then painting carefully and meticulously their de-signs and personal motifs to express the power of their land and culture. While Bulunbulun is cur-rently teaching his wife Laurie Marburduk how to depict some important Ganalbingu stories, Steele has taught his daughter Fiona Jin-majinggal Mason how to paint and how to make fish traps in recent years..

In this exhibition, Annandale Galleries present works by these three artists who closely work together. Steele and his daughter favour the representation of jima jima -water lilies- and their work, while looking very similar, differs in the palette of yellow and in some of the compositions. Bulunbulun’s bark paintings mainly revolve around the theme of Bakarra –sacred stones- which are located at a site called Gutijwirrka in Ganalbingu country. These stones are in the middle of a flowing river and Warrnyu –the flying fox- passes over the stones, sometimes sitting on them. The pretty round flower-like clusters of dots on the stones represent the bat excrements. His paintings are of a classical style which emanates the power of tradi-tions. Bulunbulun is proud to belong to the old school of painters. As he says ‘I am the only old man left, things r e a r e different now’. He knows well that his paintings are timeless, quietly intriguing, meaningful, strong and beautiful to look at.

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John Bulunbulun Bakarra 2008143 x 70 cm

M 743 1700-08

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John Bulunbulun(Detail) Wangarra 2007

203 x 113 cmM 754 5077-07

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J

John Bulunbulun Wangarra 2007203 x 113 cm

M 754 5077-07

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John Bulunbulun Bakarra 2008131 X 66 cm

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John BulunbulunBody Design 2007

161 x 72 cm

M 746

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Fiona J Mason Jima Jima - Water Lily 2007

135 x 51 cm 2140-07

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Tommy Gondorra SteeleJima Jima - Water Lily 2007

142 x 72 cm 3809-07

John MawurndjulDilebag 2008171 x 57 cm

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John MawurndjulMilmilngkan 2008

170 x 79 cm

JMa 59 3550-08

Irenie Ngalinba Wak Wak 2008

207 x 70 cmM 750 2423-08

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Elyssa Cameron Wak Wak with spiders 2008

134 x 68 cm M 747 3861-08

Aileena Lamanga bark painting, 2008

169 x 74.5 cmAL749 3699-08

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Kay Lindjuwangabark painting 2007

134 x 63 cmM 745 3578-08

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Kay Lindjuwanga Milmilngkan 2008

126 x 43 cm

M 740 1814-08

Melba Gunjarrwanga Wak Wak 2008

129 x 59 cmM 739 1762-08

James IyunaMimih Spirit figure M 759 3808-08

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James IyunaMimih Spirit figure

3810-08

James IyunaMimih Spirit figure

1871-08

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James Iyuna Wak Wak 2008

114 x 63 cmM 741 3833-08

James IyunaLorrkon 2007

184 x 16.5 cmM 673 4936-07

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Timothy Wulanjbirr Lorrkon 2008228 x 13 cm

M 752 3749-08

Timothy Wulanjbirr Lorrkon 2007175 x 11 cmM 680 4845

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Owen Yalandja Yawkyawk Spirit Figure 2008

227 x 14 cmM 758 3599-08

Owen Yalandja Yawkyawk Spirit Figure 2008

216.5 x 12 cmM 757 3845-08

captions are for page opposite right to left above are the details

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Owen Yalandja Mustard - Yawkyawk 2008

220 x 18 mmM 733 2045-08

Owen Yalandja White - Yawkyawk 2008

220 x 18 cmM 734 2046-08

Owen Yalandja White - Yawkyawk 2008

250 x 18 cmM 736 2048-08

captions are for page opposite right to left above are the details

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Ivan Namirrkki Kudjaldorrdo, 2008

215 x 54 cmM 749 2306-08

Ivan Namirrkki Lorrokon 2008

284 x 20 cmM 753 2595-08

ANNANDALE GALLERIES

SPIRAL WIND