Tommy Steele

Biography

Tommy Steele is a Martay Burarra bark painter and sculptor who first learned to paint with fellow artist Djiwul ‘Jack’ Wunuwun, whose influence can be seen in Steele’s work, despite their language and clan differences. His work has been included in many group exhibitions both in Australia and overseas. 

Languages

Burarra (Martay)

Community

Maningrida

Date of birth

1940-01-01

Clan

Ganawurla Niya

Past Exhibitions

Group

  • 2022
    Spirit in Bark, Koskela Gallery Rosebery
  • 2020
    Warraburnburn: new works by Warrawarra clan artists, Art Mob, Hobart, Tasmania
  • 2009
    2009 Works in Season:, Works in Season: Bark Paintings, Carvings & Weavings, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
  • 2009
    2009 During the Wet USA, During the Wet, Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington, USA
  • 2009
    2009 Ancestral Spirit Beings, Spirit Beings and Ceremonial Lorrkon, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2009
    2009 Togart, Togart Contemporary Art Award, The Toga Group, NT
  • 2009
    2009 Indigenat WA, Survey from Maningrida Arts & Culture, The Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA
  • 2009
    2009 MACD Group Show, Maningrida Group Show, Maningrida Arts & Culture Gallery, Darwin, NT
  • 2008
    2008 Gungura - The Spiraling Wind, "Gungura - The Spiraling Wind” featuring Samuel Namunjdja, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
  • 2008
    2008, Maningrida Art, Chapman Gallery, Canberra, Art, Chapman Gallery, Canberra
  • 2008
    2008 Maningrida arts, Maningrida Arts, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
  • 2008
    2008 African Muse, Ecorces recentes de Maningrida, Galerie Luc Bertier, Paris, France
  • 2007
    2007 Spirit in variation, Spirit in variation, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
  • 2007
    2007 Chapman Gallery, New Works, Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT
  • 2007
    2007 Selected new works from Maningrida, Selected new works from Maningrida, Maningrida Arts & Culture, Darwin
  • 2006
    2006 23rd NATSIAA, 23rd National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Arts Awards, MAGNT, Darwin, NT
  • 2006
    2006 Maningrida, Recent works from Maningrida, Short Stree Gallery, Broome, WA
  • 2006
    2006 survey show, A survey show from Maningrida, Raft artspace, Darwin, NT
  • 2005
    2005 22nd arts awards, 22nd National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Arts Awards, MAGNT, Darwin, NT
  • 2005
    2005 It's all about country, It's all about country, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2004
    2004 Maningrida recent works, Maningrida recent works, William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2004
    2004 Likan'mirri -connections: the AIATSIS collection of art, Likan'mirri -connections: the AIATSIS collection of art, Drill Hall Galley, Canberra
  • 2003
    2003 Mythological beings from Maningrida, Mythological beings from Maningrida, Hogarth Galleris, Sydney, NSW
  • 2003
    2003 the visit, The visit, Annandale galleries, Sydney, NSW
  • 2003
    2003 20th Telstra national Abortiginal & Torres Strait Islander Art award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, 20th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander art award, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
  • 2003
    2003 Burarra, Alison Kelly Gallery, Burarra: a survey exhibition of bark paintings, poles and weaving from the Burarra language group, Alison Kelly Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2002
    2002 East + West, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW, East + West, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
  • 2001
    2001, Burarra and Bark, Burarra and Bark AIATSIS, Canberra, ACT
  • 1999
    1999, Fighting for Culture, Fighting for Culture Indigenart, Perth, WA
  • 1999
    1999, Maningrida 1999, Maningrida Fire-works Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
  • 1997
    1997, Burarra Barks, Burarra Barks Indigenart, The Mossenson Gallery, Subiaco, WA
  • 1996
    1996, Spirit of Place, Framed, Spirit of Place Framed Gallery, Darwin, NT
  • 1996
    1996, Maningrida Exhibition, Indigenart, Maningrida Exhibition Indigenart, Subiaco, WA
  • 1996
    1996, Spirits of the Dreaming, Raintree, Spirits of the Dreaming Raintree Fine Art Gallery, Darwin, NT
  • 1996
    1996-97, Dreaming: Aboriginal Art from Australia, Netherl., Dreaming: Aboriginal Art from Australia Galerie Kouwenhoven, Delft, Netherlands

Collections

  • Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, VIC
  • AIATSIS Collection, ACT
  • Aimee Proost private collection, Qld
  • Christensen Collection, held Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC
  • Dr. Colin and Liz Laverty private collection, Sydney, NSW
  • Kluge Collection, Morven Estate, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA