fig1. Djambawa Marawili, Madarrpa people, b.1953 | Burrut’tji (lightning serpent) ,2002 | Natural pigments on bark | Purchased 2003. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation | Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | © The artist
SYNOPSIS
Belief in the circulatory nature of death and life is integral to Arnhem Land art. ‘Death and Life: rakuny ga walnga’ is the Gallery’s first Collection‑based exhibition of contemporary art from Arnhem Land. This fabulous exhibition includes bark paintings, hollow log memorial poles, sculptures and weavings that embody this idea.
The arrangement of works reflects artists’ languages and clan affiliations, as well as their connections with particular tracts of country, ranging from east to west Arnhem Land.
In Arnhem Land, elaborate patterns painted on the body affirm identity throughout life, and may even be painted on coffins or log burial poles. In this exhibition, bark paintings and poles are paired through the designs that reflect this customary practice.
Yirritja moiety death rituals in eastern Arnhem Land often include a Yingapungapu, a stylised canoe form sculpted from sandy soil. In ‘Death and Life’, a Yingapungapu sand sculpture is ceremonially installed as a centrepiece of the display by elder statesman Djambawa Marawili and his family.
Opening Weekend Events: From 12 noon Saturday 25 May – Join Diane Moon, Curator, Indigenous Fibre Art, QAGOMA, and exhibiting artists for an afternoon of talks exploring the ‘Death and Life’ exhibition.