John Mawurndjul

Biography

“My head is full up with ideas.” – John Mawurndjul

A Kuninjku bark painter and sculptor, John Mawurndjul is one of the leading Aboriginal Australian artists, receiving worldwide recognition for his work. He was born in 1952 near Mumeka, an important camping site for members of the Kurulk clan on the Mann River some 50 kms south of Maningrida. He grew up at Mumeka and surrounding Tomkinson, Liverpool and Mann Rivers seasonal camps with only sporadic contacts with balandas (non-aboriginal people). In the late 1970s he was tutored in painting by his elder brother Jimmy Njiminjuma and uncle Peter Marralwanga, who showed him how to use rarrk, cross-hatching in new and innovative ways. He started to paint on small barks generally depicting natural species and mythological beings such as Ngalyod the rainbow serpent that guards sacred sites (djang) in all western Arnhem Land. During the late 1980s he started to produce large and more elaborate paintings with complex arrangements of figures. His work rapidly captured the attention of art critics and in 1988 he won the Rothmans Foundation Award for best painting in traditional media at NAAA and the first prize at the Barunga Festival Art exhibition. In 1991 Gabrielle Pizzi Gallery held his first solo show. During the 1990s his work was included in major overseas exhibitions dealing with Aboriginal Australian art such as Dreamings in New York (1988), Crossroads in Japan (1992), Aratjara: Art of the first Australians, Germany and UK (1993-94) and In the heart of Arnhem Land in France (2001).

Mawurndjul has been a major influence on contemporary Kuninjku artists who paint in his style and tutoring his wife Kay Lindjuwanga and daughter Anna Wurrkidj now accomplished painters. He has created a whole school of artists and has led an exciting and contemporary Australian art movement. In 2000, his work was featured at the Sydney Biennale and in 1999, 2002 and 2016 he won the bark painting prize at the Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award. He won the prestigious Clemenger Contemporary Art Prize in 2003. In 2004, his work was included in the landmark survey exhibition Crossing Country, the Alchemy of Western Arnhem Land held at the AGNSW. In 2005, Mawurndjul was honoured with a major retrospective of his work at the Musee Jean Tinguely in Basel Switzerland. In 2006 he has worked on a large scale commission for the new Musee du Quai Branly. His work features in the bookshop and is integral part of the architecture.

Further Developments

“The old ways of doing things have changes into the new ways. The new generation does things differently. But me, I have two ways. I am the old and the new” – John Mawurndjul

John Mawurndjul’s work has always dealt with themes of spirituality, mythology and life cycle. Ngalyod has remained a central theme in his work but over last 20 years he has concentrated on more abstract works associated with the Mardayin ceremony, a now rarely performed sacred ceremony with clan identity and mortuary themes.

It was an early secret cult ceremony into which John Mawurndjul was initiated and has left a lasting impression on Mawurndjul. His paintings depict the ceremony at particular sites located on his clan estate, including elements of the ancestral landscapes and the stories which are not in the public domain. He now often depicts in his work a large billabong at Milmilngkan which is a very important Rainbow serpent sacred site. Much of his paintings are based on the mythology of sites in this area of the Kurulk clan estate where he lives with his family. Visually, in Mawurndjul’s recent works, fine cross-hatching now dominates the entire surface of the painting and encrypts various secret meanings. The direction of the cross-hatching changes constantly and unpredictably. In innovating both in the treatment of rarrk and in the iconic representation of the Mardayin themes, he expresses in a dynamic way his strong connections to the land and ancestral power.

His sculptural work also incorporates Mardayin themes. He mainly concentrates on the representation of Mimih figures or Duwa moiety female creator beings called Buluwana. They comprise, in their body decorations, elements borrowed from Mardayin body designs and painted wooden sculptures used in the ceremony. He was one of the first Kuninjku artists to use rarrk instead of dotting patterns on his Mimih carvings, making again the path for a new trend in Kuninjku art.

Untitled 2016
John Mawurndjul
Stringybark (Eucalyptus Tetradonta) with Ochre Pigment and PVA Fixative
210x77cm
Image courtesy of MAC and the artists

Resources

Luke Taylor, Enthusiastic spirit: John Mawurndjul at Tarrawarra, The Conversation,
May 5, 2015

Past Exhibitions

Solo

2018
John Mawurndjul: I am the old and the new., Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW
2011
Maningrida, Annadale Galleries, Sydney, Australia
2010
John Mawurndjul, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Australia
2009
John Mawurndjul Survey Show, The Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2009
John Mawurndjul, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2007
Mapping Djang, Cornice Art Fair, Venice, Italy
2007
John Mawurndjul, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Australia
2006
Permanent installation at Musee du Quai Branly, Paris, France, Solo show, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2005
Rarrk - John Mawurndjul: Journey through time in Northern Australia, Museum Tinguely, Basel, Switzerland
2005
Rarrk - John Mawurndjul: Journey through time in Northern Australia, Museum Tinguely, Basel, Switzerland
2004
John Mawurndjul, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2002
Kabarlekidyo to Milmilngkan, John Mawurndjuls country, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne
1999
John Marwurndjul, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
1998
John Mawurndjul: recent works from Milmilngkan, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
1995
Solo, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
1994
John Mawurndjul, Savode Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
1993
John Mawurndjul, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC

Group

2022
Legacy — the influence of Balang John Mawurndjul, Outstation Gallery
2019
Art Paris 2019, ARTKELCH @ Art Paris, Paris, France
2018
Mardayin - Aboriginal Art von Maningrida Arts, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2018
Outstation, Outstation Gallery
2017
Indigenous Australia: Masterworks from the National Gallery of Australia, The Collectors Room, Berlin
2016
2016 NATSIAA, Winner of Telstra Bark Painting Award
2015
John Mawurndjul and John Bulunbulun, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2015
Our spirits lie in the water, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia
2015
Earth and Sky - John Mawurndjul and Gulumbu Yunupingu, Tarrawarra Museum of Art, VIC
2015
MCA Collection: Luminous, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
2012
Stock Jewels, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, Australia
2012
Volume One: MCA Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
2011
Contemporary Spirit, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, Australia
2011
Dawning, Art Atrium Gallery, Bondi, Australia
2011
Art and Soul Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia
2011
Figuring the Earth, Castlemaine Market Building, Australia
2011
The Dreaming Changes Shape, Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Australia
2010
Aboriginal Art Today!, Aboriginal Art Museum Utrecht, The Netherlands
2010
Best of Maningrida, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, Australia
2010
The Dreamers, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia
2010
Rarrk 2010, Aboriginal And Pacific Art Gallery
2009
Beautiful Beasts, Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2009
Ochre - A Study in Materiality, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2009
Recent Works by Maningrida, William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC
2008
Gifted: New to the Griffith Uni Art Collection, Griffith University, QLD
2008
Palya Art at Mary Place, Mary Place, Sydney, NSW
2008
African Muse, Ecorces recentes de Maningrida, Galerie Luc Bertier, Paris, France
2008
Maningrida Survey, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2008
Maningrida Art, Chapman Gallery, Canberra
2008
Gungura - The Spiraling Wind, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2007
Culture Warriors, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
2007
New Works, Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2007
Spirit in Variation Part II, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2007
After the Wet, Maningrida Arts & Culture, Darwin, NT
2007
Spirit in Variation, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2007
rarrk, Bargehouse Gallery, London, UK
2006
Mumeka to Milmilngkan, Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2006
Sculptures from Maningrida, William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC
2006
Australian Aboriginal Art 2006/2007, John Gordon Gallery, Coffs Harbour, NSW
2006
Maningrida, Short Stree Gallery, Broome, WA
2006
Our home: CDU Art Collection, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT
2006
Rarrk: A Preview, Contemporary Art from Western Arnhem Land, Josh Lilley Fine Art, London, UK
2006
A survey show from Maningrida, Raft artspace, Darwin, NT
2006
Peintures sur ecorce de Maningrida, African Muse Gallery, Paris, France
2006
Dream Tracks, Aboriginal art of Arnhem Land, La Fontaine Centre of Contemporay Art, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
2006
Proof Contemporary Australian Printmaking, NGV, Melbourne, VIC
2006
New Print, Maningrida Arts & Culture, Darwin, NT
2005
Lorrkons and Spirit Figures, Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW
2005
Aboriginal Vision in Contemporary Australian Art, Wright exhibition space, Seattle, USA
2005
Paris-Djinkarr-Milmilngkan, Maningrida Arts & Culture, Darwin, NT
2005
New works from Maningrida, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, UK
2005
Rarrk: flowing on from crossing country, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2004
New Etchings from Mimilngkan, Aboriginal & Pacific Arts, Sydney, NSW
2004
Maningrida Print Show, Maningrida Arts & Culture, Darwin, NT
2004
Crossing Country - The alchemy of Western Arnhem Land art, AGNSW, Sydney, NSW
2004
Maningrida Burial Poles, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, UK
2004
Hollow Logs from Maningrida, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
2004
Kokok - Older brothers from the Kurulk clan, Aboriginal & Pacific Art Gallery, Sydney NSW
2003
Moon, one icon, many stories, Arthouse Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2003
The Visit, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2003
Works on Paper, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2003
Mythological Beings from Maningrida, Hogarth Galleris, Sydney, NSW
2003
Maningrida Threads, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, NSW
2002
Kuninjku show, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, Uk, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, UK
2002
19th Telstra National & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition, Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
2002
East + West, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2001
In the Heart of Arnhem Land. Myth and the making of contemporary Aboriginal art, Musée del l’Hôtel-Dieu, Mantes-la-Jolie, France
2001
Outside in: Research Engagements with Arnhem Land Art, Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT
2001
Arnhem Land Carvings and Bark Paintings, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2001
18th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2001
Maningrida Arts & Culture: Unpacked, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, NSW
2000
Maningrida, Framed Gallery, Darwin, NT
2000
Biennale Of Sydney 2000, Biennale Of Sydney, various venues at various location, NSW
2000
Aboriginal Art in Modern Worlds, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
2000
Transitions: 17 years of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin; touring nationwide: Tandanya, Adelaide, SA; Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2000
Aboriginal bark paintings, sculptures & hollow logs, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
1999
My Country: Australische Aboriginal Kunst, Brandweer Kazerne, Utrecht, Netherlands
1999
Fighting for Culture, Culture Indigenart, Perth, WA
1999
Aboriginal Art in Modern Worlds, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT, Touring to State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
1999
The Memorial : a masterpiece of Aboriginal art, Musée Olympique, Lausanne, Switzerland
1999
Spinifex Runner : a collection of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fibre art., Campbelltown City Bicentennial Art Gallery, Campbelltown, NSW; touring regional centres
1999
16th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1999
The Art of Fibre Spiral, Arm Gallery, Canberra, ACT
1998
A material thing : objects from the collection, Art Gallery NSW, Sydney, NSW
1998
Sixth Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Royal exhibition Building, Melbourne, VIC (Annandale Gallery)
1997
Metamorphosis, Gallery Pizzi at Venice Biennale Palazzo Papadopoli, Venice, Italy
1997
Mawurndjul & Bulunbulun, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
1996
Eye of the Storm, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, India; National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
1996
Marking Our Times, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
1996
Dreaming: Aboriginal Art from Australia, Galerie Kouwenhoven, Delft, Netherlands
1996
The Language of Place, Framed Gallery, Darwin, NT
1995
Stories My Parents Sang, Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, NT
1995
12th National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1994
Art of the Rainbow Snake, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC
1994
Maningrida Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, NSW
1994
Power of the Land: Masterpieces of Aboriginal Art, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC
1994
Gemaltes Land: Kunst der Aborigines aus Arnhem Land Australien, Linden Museum, Stuttgart, Germany
1993
Aratjara: Art of the First Australians, Touring: Kunstammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf; Hayward Gallery, London; Louisiana Museum, Humlebaek, Denmark; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
1993
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, Parliament House Art Collection, ACT
1993
The Tenth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1992
Crossroads - Towards a New Reality: Aboriginal Art from Australia, National Museums of Modern Art, Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan
1992
The Ninth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1991
Canvas and Bark, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA
1991
The Speaking Land and Sea, The Speaking Land and Sea Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, NSW
1991
Flash Pictures, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
1990
Painted Ship, Painted Oceans, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1990
Lete Australien, Montpellier Musée Fabre Gallery, Montpellier, France
1990
Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1990 From Australia, Third Eye Centre, Glasgow, Scotland; toured to Swansea and Manchester, UK
1990
Keepers of the Secret: Aboriginal Art from Arnhemland, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, WA
1990
Spirit in Land Bark Paintings from Arnhem Land, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC
1989
Magiciens de la Terre, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
1989
Recent Work from Maningrida and Ramingining, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1989
The Sixth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1989
Aboriginal Art: The Continuing Tradition, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
1989
Kunwinjku, Deutscher Gertrude Street, Melbourne, VIC
1988
Dreamings: the art of Aboriginal Australia, The Asia Society Galleries, New York, USA
1988
Gunwinggu Artists, Beaufort Convention Centre, Darwin, NT
1986
The Art of the First Australians, Kobe City Museum, Japan
1982
Aboriginal Art at the Top, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1980
Aboriginal Art: Past and Present., Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory - Touring exhibition to Cairns, Port Moresby and various locations across South-East Asia

Collections

Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany
Aboriginal Art Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Linden Museum, Stuttgart, Germany
Museum der Kultren, Basel, Switzerland
Sammlung Esl, Klosternenburg, Austria
The Laverty Collection, Private Collection, Sydney, Australia
The Kaplan-Lein Collection, Private Collection, United States of America
Wesfarmers Collection, Perth, Australia
Musee de Quai Branly, Paris, France
Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands
British Museum, UK
Macquarie Bank Art Collection, Australia
Charles Darwin University Art Collection, Darwin, Australia
Laverty Collection, Sydney, Australia
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat, Australia
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
Walonia Aboriginal Art, The Netherlands
The Holmes á Court Collection, Perth, Australia
South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
Parliament House Art Collection, Canberra, Australia
National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia
Museum of Contemporary Art, Maningrida Collection, Sydney, Australia
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
Kluge Collection, Morven Estate, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Djomi Museum, Maningrida, Australia
Artbank, Sydney, Australia
Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Aimee Proost Private Collection, Queensland, Australia