Bold designs and colours take spotlight in National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
Dhambit Mununggurr of Gunyunara in East Arnhem Land has joined her parents in taking out a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.
Northern Territory
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DHAMBIT Mununggurr of Gunyunara in East Arnhem Land has joined her parents in taking out a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.
This year, her striking blue and white painted bark depicting bees at Gangan has taken out the Telstra Bark Painting Award.
The wheelchair bound artist, whose chair is covered in a healthy spattering of paint, is over the moon that she’s joined her parents as NATSIAA winners with her piece Bees at Gangan.
“It about my mother and father telling me stories about the relationship to the world,” she said.
Ms Mununggurr has been painting since she was 13 years old.
She said she was so happy that she “could cry” after learning she had won.
She becomes just the second person to win a NATSIAA whose parents have also won. The other person to have achieved that feat is her sister.
Of the seven winners across the nation, Ms Mununggurr is one of four Territorians receiving an honour at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.
Taking out the top prize was Western Australian Timo Hogan with his piece Lake Baker.
The bold black and white painting draws on his father’s Country and depicts the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa (Two Men creation line) - the men watch carefully as the powerful Wanampi (water serpent) departs his home and skirts the edge of the lake.
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“It makes me feel strong inside. Painting is important for Anangu (Aboriginal people) to tell their stories. The Art Centre is a good place for people to come and be together and paint their Country. I’m happy for this prize and that people see this work is important,” Mr Hogan said.
Ishmael Marika of Yirrkala travelled to Darwin to accept the award for Telstra Works on Paper award on half of his late grandmother Ms M Wirrpanda.
In her last weeks of life Ms M Wirrpanda, who Mr Marika describes as having lost her mind, drew every day on paper to create a collection of 70 pictures.
“She was thinking about childhood – when she went collecting oysters and shells, and in her mind was that, going out hunting, collecting oysters so she had to create that put that into the paper,” Mr Marika said.
Mr Marika is a finalist himself in the NATSIAAs.
Taking out the Telstra Multimedia Award was Pedro Wonaeamirri of the Tiwi Islands.
He said painting made him feel connected to culture.
“I feel very strong happy and very proud of myself as an artist, singer and dancer. I feel very proud,” he said.
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