Indigenous artist Wukun Wanambi’s final sculpture to feature at Queen’s Wharf Brisbane

The last piece in the $13 million art puzzle for Queen’s Wharf in Brisbane is also the very last from a celebrated Australian artist, who passed away after he finished the sculpture. Take a look.

The latest public art work announced for Queen’s Wharf Brisbane also happens to be the last artwork by esteemed Indigenous artist Wukun Wanambi.

Mr Wanambi, a Yolngu artist from Eastern Arnhem Land who passed away in May 2022, completed the design for his super sculpture, which is a totem of three large mullet fish he titled Destiny, before he died and it’s now the last work to be added to the list of significant public artworks at Queen’s Wharf, at a price estimated to be close to $1 million.

The total Queen’s Wharf Brisbane art budget is around $13 million.

The large-scale five metre high, aluminium sculpture will be perched on top of a bull shark- shaped shelter at The Landing, the $3.6b tourism and entertainment precinct’s grassed riverfront public space.

Indigenous artist Wukun Wanambi’s final sculpture

Will Stubbs, Mr Wanambi’s representative agent at the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala, Northern Territory said the piece was “very personal and emotional for the artist’s friends and family.”

“He spoke of the mullet representing his clan and of their journey up rivers and creeks as them searching for their destiny, “ he said.

These fish are modelled on a mullet that was speared by one of his young relatives, Doŋga Maymuru, who was following his direction and which was caught on video,” Mr Stubbs said. “That fish was then captured in three dimensions by the technology of our digital studio of which he was the Cultural Director.”

The late Wukun Wanambi whose massive sculpture Destiny will grace the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane precinct.

Prestigious fine arts foundry Perides Arts Projects, based in Brisbane, has now been given the responsibility of completing the sculpture.

The skin of the mullet sculpture will be formed from aluminium sheets laser cut to incorporate a pattern from one of Mr Wanambi’s paintings.

Before passing, Mr Wanambi had carved a highly regarded artistic career with his work is in most major Australian galleries and he had won multiple prizes in The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards and featured in international exhibitions including in Singapore, the USA and at the British Museum.

Lindy Lee’s artwork for Queen's Wharf.

Leading Indigenous curator and arts administrator Avril Quaill, part of the Specialist Arts Advisory panel led by highly regarded art figure Philip Bacon, which is curating the comprehensive collection of artworks to be installed across the tourism precinct’s 7.5ha of public space said Destiny is a culturally important piece for Queensland.

“The sculpture significantly will sit on that reach of the Brisbane River (Meanjin) once known to be of clear water and white sand traditionally traversed by local Turrbal, Jagera and Quandamooka peoples,” Ms Quaill said.

“The sculpture is highly symbolic of the artist‘s totem, the mullet fish, which also has cultural associations to local First Nations.”

Star Entertainment Group’s Robbie Cooke.

The Star Entertainment Group’s Managing Director and CEO Robbie Cooke said all the artworks will be in place for the development’s planned staged opening from December 2023.

“We are so honoured to be the custodian of Mr Wanambi’s final work and pay homage to his astonishing talent and contribution to the Australian arts community,” Mr Cooke said.

“All of the artworks are extraordinary and will be proudly showcased to the millions of people who will soon begin visit this city-changing precinct, including for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Queen's Wharf features $13 million worth of Australian art.

Other artworks already announced include Being Swallowed by the Milky Way, an eight-metre high, eight tonne bronze sculpture by internationally renowned artist Lindy Lee; Lungfish Dreamz, a super-sized mosaic wall mural of Australian lungfish by local artist Samuel Tupou; A Cottage Year, a hi-tech interactive digital light installation for the heritage listed The Printery Office by husband-and-wife team Alinta Krauth and Jason Nelson; Sheila, a larger-than-life five tonne goddess-like bronze sculpture by Justene Williams and Inhabitant, an enormous 15 metre floating art garden depicting native plants by exciting First Nations artist Tony Albert.