Artiste : Yimula Munuŋgurr

Titre de la sculpture : Djapu

Format : 196 x 24cm

Pigments naturels sur tronc d'eucalyptus

Provenance et certificat : centre d'art aborigène de Yirrkala

Référence de l'œuvre: 3072-16

Explications pour cette œuvre :

The cross hatching grid pattern is the sacred design for the freshwaters of the Djapu clan at their homeland Wandawuy now an outstation about 150 kilometres south of Yirrkala and inland from Blue Mud Bay. This Djapu clan outstation (and spiritual residence for Ancestral Beings Mäna the Shark and Bol’ŋu the Thunderman) is surrounded by permanent freshwater. Rains inspired by the actions of Bol’ŋu feed the rivers and fill the billabongs. Catfish and mussels, freshwater crayfish and others feed,the Yolŋu and wild life. The waters are home for the shark Mäna. The grid refers to the landscape of Wandawuy- a network of,billabongs surrounded by ridges and high banks. Its structure also having reference at one level to woven fish traps. Ancestral Hunters set a trap here to snare the Shark but to no avail.

The black lines having reference to the trap, the coloured verticals referring to differing states of the freshwater - the source of Djapu soul. At ceremony appropriate participants for mortuary rites enter,the shelter (woven together like the unsuccessful trap) where the deceased has been lying in state. Sacred spears tipped with stingray barbs, ,manifestations of Mäna’s teeth, stand up alongside the shelter. The sacred song cycles of Mäna in the water at Wandawuy are intoned with music from the Yidaki (didjeridu) and Bilma(clapsticks). At the prescribed time at the conclusion of ceremony the dancers crash through the deceased’s shelter imitating the actions of Mäna at the trap. This action has,reference to the release of the deceased’s soul, back to the sacred waters of Wandawuy to be reunited with its ancestors awaiting rebirth. Recent surveys by Anglo scientists in Top End rivers in Kakadu have revealed the existence of a species of shark whose life cycle takes place entirely in the freshwater.

© Photo & text : Aboriginal signature with the courtesy of the artist, & Buku-Larrngay Mulka.

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Artiste : Yimula Munuŋgurr

Titre de la sculpture : Djapu

Format : 168 x 20 cm

Pigments naturels sur tronc d'eucalyptus

Provenance et certificat : centre d'art aborigène de Yirrkala

Référence de l'œuvre: 2086-21

Explications pour cette œuvre :

The cross hatching grid pattern is the sacred design for the freshwaters of the Djapu clan at their homeland Wandawuy now an outstation about 150 kilometres south of Yirrkala and inland from Blue Mud Bay. This Djapu clan outstation (and spiritual residence for Ancestral Beings Mäna the Shark and Bol’ŋu the Thunderman) is surrounded by permanent freshwater. Rains inspired by the actions of Bol’ŋu feed the rivers and fill the billabongs. Catfish and mussels, freshwater crayfish and others feed,the Yolŋu and wild life. The waters are home for the shark Mäna. The grid refers to the landscape of Wandawuy- a network of,billabongs surrounded by ridges and high banks. Its structure also having reference at one level to woven fish traps. Ancestral Hunters set a trap here to snare the Shark but to no avail.

The black lines having reference to the trap, the coloured verticals referring to differing states of the freshwater - the source of Djapu soul. At ceremony appropriate participants for mortuary rites enter,the shelter (woven together like the unsuccessful trap) where the deceased has been lying in state. Sacred spears tipped with stingray barbs, ,manifestations of Mäna’s teeth, stand up alongside the shelter. The sacred song cycles of Mäna in the water at Wandawuy are intoned with music from the Yidaki (didjeridu) and Bilma(clapsticks). At the prescribed time at the conclusion of ceremony the dancers crash through the deceased’s shelter imitating the actions of Mäna at the trap. This action has,reference to the release of the deceased’s soul, back to the sacred waters of Wandawuy to be reunited with its ancestors awaiting rebirth. Recent surveys by Anglo scientists in Top End rivers in Kakadu have revealed the existence of a species of shark whose life cycle takes place entirely in the freshwater.

© Photo & text : Aboriginal signature with the courtesy of the artist, & Buku-Larrngay Mulka.

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Artiste : Yimula Munuŋgurr

Titre de la sculpture : Djapu

Format : 208 x 18 cm

Pigments naturels sur tronc d'eucalyptus

Provenance et certificat : centre d'art aborigène de Yirrkala

Référence de l'œuvre: 2251-21

Explications pour cette œuvre :

The cross hatching grid pattern is the sacred design for the freshwaters of the Djapu clan at their homeland Wandawuy now an outstation about 150 kilometres south of Yirrkala and inland from Blue Mud Bay. This Djapu clan outstation (and spiritual residence for Ancestral Beings Mäna the Shark and Bol’ŋu the Thunderman) is surrounded by permanent freshwater. Rains inspired by the actions of Bol’ŋu feed the rivers and fill the billabongs. Catfish and mussels, freshwater crayfish and others feed,the Yolŋu and wild life. The waters are home for the shark Mäna. The grid refers to the landscape of Wandawuy- a network of,billabongs surrounded by ridges and high banks. Its structure also having reference at one level to woven fish traps. Ancestral Hunters set a trap here to snare the Shark but to no avail.

The black lines having reference to the trap, the coloured verticals referring to differing states of the freshwater - the source of Djapu soul. At ceremony appropriate participants for mortuary rites enter,the shelter (woven together like the unsuccessful trap) where the deceased has been lying in state. Sacred spears tipped with stingray barbs, ,manifestations of Mäna’s teeth, stand up alongside the shelter. The sacred song cycles of Mäna in the water at Wandawuy are intoned with music from the Yidaki (didjeridu) and Bilma(clapsticks). At the prescribed time at the conclusion of ceremony the dancers crash through the deceased’s shelter imitating the actions of Mäna at the trap. This action has,reference to the release of the deceased’s soul, back to the sacred waters of Wandawuy to be reunited with its ancestors awaiting rebirth. Recent surveys by Anglo scientists in Top End rivers in Kakadu have revealed the existence of a species of shark whose life cycle takes place entirely in the freshwater.

© Photo & text : Aboriginal signature with the courtesy of the artist, & Buku-Larrngay Mulka.

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Artiste : Bulthirrirri Wunuŋmurra (1981)

Titre de la sculpture : Mokuy

Format : 223 x 13 cm

Sculptures et pigments naturels sur tronc d'eucalyptus

Provenance et certificat : centre d'art aborigène de Yirrkala

Référence de l'œuvre: 5797-21

Explications pour cette œuvre :

The artist says about this work; “The mokuy or nanuk (spirits) come in together, Dhuwa and Yirritja to the sacred ground called Balambala, past Gangan, the other side for all the mokuy to get together. The spirits go there and that’s where they make the yidaki sound. It’s like showing Yukuwa (sacred yam emblem) and Morning Star feathers – they are different. Like same goes with yidaki, different sounds for Yirritja and Dhuwa. The Yirritja and Dhuwa play yidaki to call in the Mokuy to the same ground Balambala. The Yirritja mokuy come in on the birds, djilawurr (scub fowl) and bugutj-bugutj (banded fruit dove). The Dhuwa mokuy they come in from rangi side (saltwater).” He responds to the question whether this work is traditional in the affirmative. This indicates that there are sacred objects of the same appearance within the closed world of Yolngu cabinet (Ŋärra’)…

In 2016 Nawurapu took a monochromatic version of these triangular cloud designs (which are shared by all Yirritja clans and relate to the water cycle of souls going from ocean to vapour to cloud to freshwater rain rebirth) and used them to decorate his mokuy (spirit sculpture). He then also used them on larrakitj (memorial poles for the first time). In other contexts they speak of massive cumulo-nimbus thunderheads decorated with the blacks of storm, the yellow of the suns rays and the red of the sunset.

© Photo & text : Aboriginal signature with the courtesy of the artist, & Buku-Larrngay Mulka.

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Artiste : Bulthirrirri Wunuŋmurra (1981)

Titre de la sculpture : Mokuy

Format : 243 x 15 cm

Sculptures et pigments naturels sur tronc d'eucalyptus

Provenance et certificat : centre d'art aborigène de Yirrkala

Référence de l'œuvre: 5411-21

Explications pour cette œuvre :

The artist says about this work; “The mokuy or nanuk (spirits) come in together, Dhuwa and Yirritja to the sacred ground called Balambala, past Gangan, the other side for all the mokuy to get together. The spirits go there and that’s where they make the yidaki sound. It’s like showing Yukuwa (sacred yam emblem) and Morning Star feathers – they are different. Like same goes with yidaki, different sounds for Yirritja and Dhuwa. The Yirritja and Dhuwa play yidaki to call in the Mokuy to the same ground Balambala. The Yirritja mokuy come in on the birds, djilawurr (scub fowl) and bugutj-bugutj (banded fruit dove). The Dhuwa mokuy they come in from rangi side (saltwater).” He responds to the question whether this work is traditional in the affirmative. This indicates that there are sacred objects of the same appearance within the closed world of Yolngu cabinet (Ŋärra’)…

In 2016 Nawurapu took a monochromatic version of these triangular cloud designs (which are shared by all Yirritja clans and relate to the water cycle of souls going from ocean to vapour to cloud to freshwater rain rebirth) and used them to decorate his mokuy (spirit sculpture). He then also used them on larrakitj (memorial poles for the first time). In other contexts they speak of massive cumulo-nimbus thunderheads decorated with the blacks of storm, the yellow of the suns rays and the red of the sunset.

© Photo & text : Aboriginal signature with the courtesy of the artist, & Buku-Larrngay Mulka.

Enquiry / Demander le prix de l'œuvre