I started this blog at the start of August then MIFF intervened and I forgot all about it. This was a terrific exhibition that Joe and I visited this just before it closed. It was on at the Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square. I’m so pleased we got to see it. Wurrdha Marra means Many Mobs in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language and the exhibition continues the NGVs commitment to sharing the work of First Nations artists, from emerging to senior figures, and across time and space. The art – paintings, sculptures, mult-media works – was terrific. Here are some examples.
The British Museum 2023, ochre and acrylic binder on hession; Matthew Harris
This is the first work you see; six panels depicting ghostly silhouettes of stolen First Peoples objects held by the British Museum in London. They’re organised alphabetically. This is (A-B) and (B).
And this is (B-F) and (F-S). You can identify the objects quite easily – boomerangs, bags, shields and spears.
The final panels (S) and (S-W). The work invites discourse on colonialism, cultural heritage and the role of museums in representing First Nations voices.
On into a gallery displaying the largest painting in the exhibition. Ngayarta Kujarra 2009, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Painted by twelve women from Manjilyjarra.
This immense work is named for the lake it depicts via an expansive wash of white paint, Ngayarta Kujarra, renamed Lake Dora by settlers. I loved the delicate colours of rose, peach, pink, sage and white. Along the border are twenty-nine vivid cobalt blue circles like this one.
Each of these represent is labelled, on the canvas frame next to it, with the name of a sacred waterholes in the East Pilbara region.
Displayed on the floor in front of this was a painting by another group of women artists from Pintupi, Ngurrapalangu 1994, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. This is a significant site connected to Uta Uta Tjangala which is where two women encountered the being Tjuntamartu, prompting their escape to Lake Mackay while Tjuntamartu sought refuge in a cave and displaced sacred onjects, forming the hill Wintalynga. The claypans represent the dance of the women and the nourishing seed-bearing plant mungilpa. Love the story, the colours and the figures, but it would look better on a wall.
In the same gallery is Minyma Tjuta (Seven Sisters) 2006, synthetic polymer paint on canvas by Wingu Tingima. It depicts the story of the Seven Sisters, with which I am familiar from the wonderful Seven Sisters exhibition in Canberra some years ago about which I have blogged here. Essentially the seven sisters flee from a persistent pursuer, finally forming the Pleiades star cluster in the night sky. Wonderful colours – rich reds, pinks and magentas.
This is another painting by the same Pitjantjatjars artist, Wingu Tingima. Pukara 2004, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. This represents a Wanampi (Water Snake) story from Pukara, a waterhole south-west of Irrunytju in W.A. A father and son are collecting honey from a grevillea bush; a male black ant finds them and spears the young son in his side, which makes him vomit up all the different types of yellow and orange honey grevillea.
Three of these paintings are by Makinti Napanangka and three are by Naata Numgurrayi, both Pintupi women.
Mijal 2021-22, synthetic polymer paint on linen, by Gwenneth Blitner recalls memories of camping an collecting bush tucker along the hills on one side of the Roper River as a child with her family during the wet season, known as mijal in Marra language. Here’s a close up picture.
Blitner uses bright colours to showcase the floral blooms springing up from the hills, which she boldly outlines using dark tones; the river is symbolised by the dappled blue gradient at the baseof the painting.
Later in another gallery there were more traditional paintings. This is Tingarri Dreaming at Ngatjapirriti 2002, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, by Joseph Jurra Tjapaltjarri. It depicts designs associated with the soakage site of Ngatjapirriti, south of the Kiwirrkura community.
This vividly coloured painting is Lulul Tjukurrpa (Lulul Dreaming), 1995 synthetic polymer paint on canvas by Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa and Josephine Napurrurla. It’s interesting how often women paint together. It depicts a Women’s Dreaming at Lulul, south of Kintore during which the women have travelled to different places. The concentric circles represent campsites, the arc shapes indicate wehre the women are seated. Also shown are the women’s digging sticks and coolamons.
Women’s Dreaming at Lupulnga, 2002 synthetic polymer paing on canvas by Makinti Napanangka depicts designs associated with the rockhole site of Lupulnga to which the Peewee (small biird) Dreaming is connected. The lines represent spun hair string used to make belts worn during the ceremonies associated with this area.
I liked the strong colours in all of these paintings including Tingarri Dreaming at Wanaritjarra 2009, Synthetic polymer paint on canvas by Johnny Yungut Tjupurrula (also known as Johnny Angus).
Here are come familiar paintings, previously seen at an exhibition at the NGV. From the left: Baratjala, 2019 by Ms N. Marawili; Njädi ga Gundirr, 2020 by Mulkun Wirrpanda; Dhatam, 2023 by Guruwuy Murrinyina; Djirikitj-Wop!, 2020 by Dhambit Mumumjgurr. All wonderul. The three on the left being earth pigments on stringybark, the bright blue one synthetic polymer paint on stringybark. All depicting aspects of their country and all wonderful.
There were quite a few politically charged works which I also liked a lot. All are by a Melbourne artist Kait James done in 2019 on printed cotton using wool, cotton , felt and metallic yarn. From the left they are entitled Wheel of misfortune; Faark; Advance Australia not fair.
And here by the same artist in the same year this one, Sovereignty never ceded.
This is a modern take on the story of the seven sisters, about which I’ve seen quite a lot of traditional representations including the one above. Seven Sisters Song, 2021 by Kaylene Whiskey. It’s enamel paint on a road sign and references the comic strip format with strong female figures, including Wonder Woman, Dolly Parton and Tina Turner. Fun.
This biting reference to the white picket fence ideal made famous by John Howard during one of his successful election campaigns is by Sandra Hill; Beyond the pale, 2010. the fence symbolises exclusion, marginalisation and living beyond societal boundaries, while the title represents the First Nations experience in Australia, where domestic servants were treated as social outcasts.
This work by Marylin Brown Petyarr, Art, cars and the landscape, 1990 was produced during a project organised by the Central Aboriginal Media Association which involved painting parts of wrecked car bodies which had been left abandoned on remote roads in the community.
This picture depicts part of a much larger work produced by Julie Dowling as one of her Federation series:1901-2001. As the title suggests it is the artist’s response to the centenary of federation celebrated in 2001. There are ten canvases displayed together on the wall.
Each one symbolises a particular decade. Like a family tree of resilience, the series portrays the faces of ten individual members of Dowling’s family, each affected by policies and historical events.
The exhibition included a range of crafted objects.
Including woven baskets and bottles and pieces of furniture.
As well as two distinctive styles of sculptures. This group by Bob Burruwal is Wurrum figure, 1998. Earth pigments on wood, fibre.
This grouping tells the story of the Wurum spirit, who had a human form and carried fish in idlly bags … to create an abundance of certain fish species, Rembarrnga people people would draw an image of Wurum on the side of a tree and perform a ceremonial song leading to more fish in the morning after a night of sleep.
This more modern sculpture was in the same room. Inventive recycling of old televisions and poker machines. This is by the Tennant Creek Brio (Clifford Thompson, Marcus Campholl, Lindsay Nelson, Fabian Brown). It’s called Mixed Tribes, 2019.
Close up you can identify the shells of televisions on which the faces are painted.
And so-called one-armed bandits.
I really loved this loved this very inventive installation. By Robert Andrew, it’s entitled Moving our of muteness 2013, made up of earth pigments, water, aluminium and electric cables. The Yawuru word Nganga, means language. The work explores Yawuru relationships with land and culture, and the ongoing history of linguicide in Australia.
At intervals a robotic arm spurts a small jet of water that reveals earth pigments collected from the artist’s father’s Country. I tried very hard to see the process but it’s so quick I couldn’t see it let alone capture it in a photo. The NGV has recently posted on Instagram that this is still available to view at Federation Square, on the ground floor. Worth a look. I found it mesmerising.
There was a place to have a rest in an area in the centre of the exhibition that I was glad to use.
Then Joe told me to look up! This is PET Lamp Ramingining: Bukmukgu Guyananhawuy (Every family thinking forward) 2016. It’s a collaborative weaving by nine artists from Bula’bula Arts that has been integrated into a Pet lamp design system by Spanish designer Alvaro Catalán de Ocón. It is an expansive, uplift, suspension lamp.
Then on to see ven more work. It was a very large exhibition. This is Doolngayim country 1990, by George Mung Mung. Made of earth pigments and natural binder on canvas. The place depicted here, Doolngayim Country is important to several artists.
It’s similar to this one – at least in terms of colours and silhouettes – by Jack Britten, Woorreranginy country 1991. He is showing the East Kimberley’s hilly landscape from the side view.
Another depiction of country – this is Texas country, other side 1994 by Queenie McKenzie. Earth pigments on linen. Fantastic colours in all these paintings.
Towards the end of the exhibition there was this work which I found quite eerie. It’s actually engraved aluminium, a yellow reflective road sign; Wawurritjpal 2021, by Wukun Wanambi. The yellow comes from the discarded road sign onto which the artist has etched customary diamond designs.
There was also a video of traditional Yankunytjatjara song and dance performed on County by several generations of Indulkana community members.
Two final paintings. This is Mer 2019, by Segar Passi, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. It depicts Mer (Murray Island). The foreground features nam (baby turtles) erupting from their nests, leaving tracks in the sand suggesting the viewer is located on one of the small islands near Mer that are home to a turtle breeding ground and believed by Meriam people to contain powerful mystical energies.
And finally a familiar work, last seen I think at the Bendigo Art Gallery. The landing 2018, by Marlene Gilson, synthetic plymer paing on canvas. This depicts Captain Cook’s landing at Botany Bay. Gilson is fascinated with the micro narratives of history, which she encapsulates within larger history paintings.
All in all a terrific exhibition. The NGV at Federation Square is always worth a visit.
Leave a Reply