We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

Title

Untitled

1960s

Artist

January Nangunyari-Namiridali

Australia

circa 1901 – 1972

Language group: Kunwinjku, Arnhem region

No image

  • Details

    Place where the work was made
    Croker Island → Western Arnhem Land → Northern Territory → Australia
    Date
    1960s
    Media category
    Bark painting
    Materials used
    natural pigments on bark
    Dimensions
    73.0 x 44.0 cm
    Signature & date

    Not signed. Not dated.

    Credit
    Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Art Collection Benefactors 2005
    Location
    North Building, ground level, Yiribana Gallery
    Accession number
    27.2005
    Copyright
    © Estate of January Nangunyari-Namiridali
    Artist information
    January Nangunyari-Namiridali

    Works in the collection

    1

    Share

  • About

    January Nangunyari-Namiridali was among the group of artists – including Yirawala, Paddy Compass Namatbara and Jimmy Midjawmidjaw – who were working at Mindjilang (Croker Island) in the 1960s. This group of artists were some of the first artists from western Arnhem Land to be recognised and collected. His works from this time, including this painting, were collected by Karel Kupka, the most astute European collector of that era.

    The subject appears to be mimihs or possibly wangarra spirit beings, two men and three women, singing, and is a rare example of the old style of western Arnhem Land bark painting before rarrk (crosshatching) was introduced. This style of painting appears to represent variations of ceremonial body paint and is derived from paintings on rock shelters, caves and galleries found in the Arnhem Land escarpment.

    © Australian Art Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2005

  • Places

    Where the work was made

    Croker Island

  • Exhibition history

    Shown in 1 exhibition

  • Bibliography

    Referenced in 1 publication