Billy Black (left) and relative cleaning the barks – River crossing near Ramingining © Courtesy of Bula’bula Arts – Photo Daniel Warrakuluma
Billy Durbuma Black
Black is known for his depiction of the Murrungun Morning Star story, and the illustration of animal totems such as: the Black-headed Python, Longneck Tortoise, Butterflies and Sawfish. Born in 1954, in Central Arnhem Land, Black was taught the art of painting from his father.
Black is particularly known for his sculptures of the forest mokuy, a devil like creature. Black’s sculptures received a Honourable Mention in the Australian Heritage Commission Art Award in 1993, held at Old Parliament House in Canberra.
Black created four Dupan (hollow Logs) for the renowned 1988 Aboriginal Memorial, an installation commemorating the deaths of all Indigenous people since white occupation. The installation was exhibited at the Biennial of Sydney- beneath the Southern Cross, before moving to the National Gallery of Australia as a permanent display.
Black appeared in the 1967 film Across the Top a documentary by Malcolm Douglas recording the traditional life in Arnhem Land, the Gulf of Capartaria and Cape York. In 2005 Black made his screen debut in De Heer’s Award winning film 10 Canoes playing one of the lead canoeist. The film was a great success and aided in educating the world about the Yolngu culture in Ramingining, Central Arnhem Land.
Black was also mentioned in the 2005 sixth annual Smart Art Survey, as featured in Australian Art Collector (Issue 33, p. 117). Noted art critic Patrick Hutchings, nominated Billy Black for inclusion in this national survey of highly recommended artists.
Selected Exhibitions
2016 – Another Country – Art Aborigene Contemporain – IDAIA at Passage du Grand-Cerf, Paris, France
2015 – Garnkiny to Ganyu: Artists who capture the night – Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts & Culture Centre, Katherine, NT
2015 – Katherine Art prize, Katherine, NT
2006 – Out of the Dilly Bag and into the Canoe – Brightspace Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2005 – Pandanus to Paper – Northern Editions, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT
2004 – Ramingining Artists – Tandanya, SA
2004 – Dupun, Djalumbu, Badurru-Hollow Logs from Ramingining – Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
1999 – Le Memorial, un chef-d’oeuvre d’art aborigene – Olympic Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland; State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
1988 – Aboriginal Memorial – Biennale of Sydney, NSW
Selected Awards
2015 – Selected Finalist – Katherine Art prize, Katherine, NT
Selected Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
The Hida Earth Wisdom Centre, Gifu, JAPAN
Kluge-Ruhe Collection, University of Virginia, USA