Samson Bonson
Biography
Samson Bonson (b.1968), a Gurrgoni sculptor, was taught in the late 1990’s by Crusoe Kurddal a notable maker of mimih spirit carvings.
Bonson is known for the refined carvings and the minute nature of his pointillist decoration on the main body of his mimih carvings. This quality sees his work in high demand.
Bonson’s work has been selected for the 25th, 26th and 29th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards. Significant exhibitions of his work include Dream Tracks, Aboriginal Art of Arnhem Land (2006) at the La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art in the Kingdom of Bahrain and <<rarrk>> (2006) at the Bargehouse Gallery in London. In 2007 a work was acquired by the British Museum. Internationally, the artist has also been represented by Art Kelch, Freiburg (Germany), and Harvey Arts Project, Ketchum (USA).
His work has also been exhibited by Annandale Galleries (Sydney), Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi (Melbourne), Paul Johnstone Gallery (Darwin) and Vivien Anderson Gallery (Melbourne). Most recently, the artists work is shown at Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney.
81.5cm x 4cm
Ochre on carved wood
Past Exhibitions
Solo
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2018 Mimih Spirit Sculptures, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
Group
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2023 Delek & Kunyirrke (White Clay & Charcoal), Agency Projects, Collingwood, VIC
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2021 The Summer Collector’s Show 2022, Everywhen Artspace
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2020 Tarnanthi Art Fair, Lot Fourteen, Adelaide SA
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2020 Maningrida Arts & Culture, Michael Reid Galleries
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2020 RESILIENCE: The power of the past today - Maningrida, Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Fine Art, Brussels, BELGUIM
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2020 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair 2020, Online
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2020 Art Paris 2020, ARTKELCH @ Art Paris, Paris, France
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2019 Sculpture Bolkimme / Sculpture Today, Harvey Art Projects
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2019 Sculpture Bolkkime – Sculpture Today : New Works from Maningrida Arts and Culture, Harvey Art Projects
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2019 Top End Ochre - Art from nature, EVERYWHEN Artspace
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2018 ST-ART 2018, ARTKELCH @ ST-ART 2018, Strasbourg, France
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2018 Mardayin - Aboriginal Art von Maningrida Arts, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
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2018 Mardayin – Aboriginal Art von Maningrida Arts, Art Kelch
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2017 Stories are Forever, curated by Vivien Anderson Gallery, Merricks Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
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2016 Maningrida Arts & Culture, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
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2012 29th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
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2011 The Dreaming Changes Shape, Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Australia
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2011 Shalom Gamarana Ngiyani Yana, Waterhole Art,Sydney, Australia
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2010 Best of Maningrida, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, Australia
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2010 Collection Highlights, Seva Frangos Art, Subiaco, Australia
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2009 26th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
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2009 Orche - A Study in Materiality, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
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2009 Survey from Maningrida Arts & Culture, The Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA
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2009 Works in Season: Bark Paintings, Carvings & Weavings, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
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2009 Sculptures, Josh Lilley Fine Art, National Geographic Store, London, UK
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2009 Ancestral Spirit Beings and Ceremonial Lorrkon, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
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2008 Gungura - The Spiraling Wind, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
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2008 25th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
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2008 Weaving around the traps, Chapman & Bailey, Melbourne, VIC
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2008 Palya Art at Mary Place, Mary Place, Sydney, NSW
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2007 Maningrida group show, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
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2007 Lorrkon, Spirit Beings, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
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2007 rarrk, Bargehouse Gallery, London, UK
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2007 Spirit in Variation, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
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2007 Spirit in Variation Part II, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
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2006 Maningrida, Short Stree Gallery, Broome, WA
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2006 Dream stories, The Bahrain Art Society, Kingdom of Bahrain
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2006 Dream Tracks, Aboriginal art of Arnhem Land, La Fontaine Centre of Contemporay Art, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
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2006 Sculptures from Maningrida, William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC
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2005 Recent works from Maningrida, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
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2005 Spirit Beings and Lorrkon, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
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2005 Sticks & Stones, Bandigan Aboriginal Art & Craft, Sydney, NSW
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2005 Bark paintings and carvings from Maningrida, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
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2004 Fibre and sculptures, Indigenart, Fremantle, WA, Indigenart, Fremantle, WA
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2004 Maningrida Fibre, Bandigan art, Sydney, NSW
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2003 Mythological beings from Maningrida, Hogarth Galleris, Sydney, NSW
Collections
- Laverty Private Collection, Sydney, Australia
- British Museum, UK