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

Title

Mardayin design

2004

Artist

John Mawurndjul

Australia

1952 –

Language group: Kuninjku, Arnhem region

Artist profile

  • Details

    Place where the work was made
    Maningrida Central Arnhem Land Northern Territory Australia
    Date
    2004
    Media category
    Print
    Materials used
    hard-ground etching, black ink on white wove Velin Arches 250gsm paper
    Edition
    25/30
    Dimensions
    64.0 x 34.5 cm platemark; 76.0 x 56.0 cm sheet
    Signature & date

    Signed l.r. beneath platemark, pencil "JOHNNY". Not dated.

    Credit
    Mollie Gowing Acquisition fund for Contemporary Aboriginal art 2004
    Location
    Not on display
    Accession number
    169.2004
    Copyright
    © John Mawurndjul, Maningrida Arts and Culture/Copyright Agency

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    Artist information
    John Mawurndjul

    Artist profile

    Works in the collection

    26

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  • About

    This work by Mawurndjul concerns a major patrimoeity ceremony of a secret and sacred nature called Mardayin. Much of the meaning of the iconography in the print is not in the domain of public knowledge and so it cannot be explained in detail here.

    The image refers to a site at Mumeka, which is an outstation in the artist's clan estate in the Mann River region. The Mardayin ceremony performance site is located on a large billabong covered in waterlillies. This place is about 50km south of Maningrida in Central North Arnhem Land.

    © Australian Art Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2004

  • Places

    Where the work was made

    Maningrida

  • Exhibition history

    Shown in 2 exhibitions

  • Bibliography

    Referenced in 1 publication

Other works by John Mawurndjul

See all 26 works