Nawurapu Wununmurra

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DOB: 1952 - 2018
COMMUNITY: Gurrumuru, NT
LANGUAGE GROUP: Yolngu

Nawurapu's moiety was Yirritja. His clan was Dhalwangu, Narrkala group and homeland was Gurrumuru, NT. His father was the great Yanggarriny Wunungmurra, who was one of the artists of the legendary Yirrkala Church Panels. He also won the 1997 NATSIAA and was the first Aboriginal artist to have his copyright recognized in an Australian court. From an early age Nawurapu assisted his father until his own cultural authority increased, and he began to practice in his own right.

His father was also one of the senior Yirritja moiety elders. After his passing, Nawurapu stepped into this senior role with his brothers. With so many ceremonial responsibilities, he moved between the homeland centres of the Miwatj region, North East Arnhem land and even beyond into Central Arnhem land.

Despite his considerable responsibilities, he was also involved in all the major group projects from the art centre in Yirrkala through the 1990's. In 2004, he had his first solo show at GrantPirrie Gallery in Sydney.

But it was his sculptural works that really caught the attention of the art world, and he made his first big impact at the Bitpit exhibition at Raft Artspace in 2008. His set of Mokuy figures, which are depictions of a ghost or sinister spirit of a deceased person, were acquired by the Queensland Art Gallery.

In the same year he was included in the major show 'Optimisim' at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art in 2008. In 2010 his haunting mixed media work 'Mokuy' took out first prize in two categories in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. In 2018 he was a finalist in the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Despite having a major injury in 2013 which resulted in the amputation of his right foot and leg below the knee, it did not diminish his strength or vigour. He maintained an incredible output of work and his extensive exhibition history is testament to this.

He travelled to Makassar in 2015 and a batik from one of his paintings was presented to the Textile Museum in Jakarta. Thirty-six of his Mokuy sculptures were acquired by the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.
His sculptures also featured in the Tarnanthi exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia in late 2017. A posthumous exhibition of his sculpture was installed at Fondation Opale in Switzerland in 2021.

Nawurapu passed away in 2018. His friends described his as firm, proud, intelligent but always humble, peaceful and shy. He left an indelible mark in the artworld and to those who knew him personally.

Copyright Kate Owen Gallery, January 2022

Collections

Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat
Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
Charles Darwin University Collection, Darwin
Commonwealth Bank Art Collection, Sydney
Holmes a Court Collection, Perth
Kerry Stokes Collection, Perth
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia, USA
Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, Darwin
Museum Kunstwerk, Eberdingen-Nussdorf, Germany
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
National Maritime Museum, Sydney
National Museum of Australia, Canberra
Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane
Sammlung Klein, Eberdingen-Nussdorf, Germany
Seattle Art Museum, Seattle
South Australian Museum, Adelaide
Laverty Collection, Sydney
Woodside Energy Ltd. Art Collection, Perth

Awards and Recognition

2018 Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney - Finalist
2010 27th NATSIAA, Darwin - Winner - New Media Award
2010 27th NATSIAA, Darwin - Winner - Peoples Choice Award
2008 25th NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist
2006 23rd NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist
2004 21st NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist
1998 15th NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist
1997 14th NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist
1996 13th NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist
1995 12th NATSIAA, Darwin - Finalist

History

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2018 Nawurapu Wunungmurra - Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2016 Nawurapu Wunungmurra - installation sculpture and video work Mokuy Spirits - Chapman & Bailey and Hanging Valley, Melbourne
2004 Larrakitj (First Solo Show) - Grant Pirrie Gallery, Sydney

Selected Group Exhibitions

2021 Souffle de Vie - The Breath of Life, Fondation Opale, Lens, Switzerland
2020 Art Paris 2020, ARTKELCH @ Art Paris 2020
2020 Paris, Paris!, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germanny
2020 Smart Art, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2019 By the Stars, Wind and Ocean Currents, Cross Arts, Sydney
2019 Tarnanthi 2019, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
2019 Sydney Contemporary 2019, Hugo Michell Gallery, Carriageworks, Sydney
2019 Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Whitlam Institute Gallery, University of Western Sydney
2019 Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, Cowra NSW
2019 Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong NSW
2019 A la rencontre de l'art aborigene, Arts d'Australie 2016 - Stephane Jacob / Galerie 3032, Paris
2019 Parcours des Mondes, Arts d'Australie 2014 - Stephane Jacob, Paris
2019 Parcours des Mondes, Arts d'Australie 2010 - Stephane Jacob, Paris
2019 Art Elysees, Arts d'Australie 2017 - Stephane Jacob, Paris
2019 Art Paris Art Fair, Arts d'Australie 2015 - Stephane Jacob, Paris
2019 Art Paris Art Fair, Arts d'Australie 2018 - Stephane Jacob, Paris
2019 Art Elysees, Arts d'Australie 2014 - Stephane Jacob, Paris
2019 VIBRATIONS: au coeur de l'art Aborigene, Arts d'Australie 2015 - Stephane Jacob / ACABAS, Paris
2018 Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Warwick Art Gallery, Warwick QLD
2018 Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, Caboolture, QLD
2018 Gapan Gallery 2018 - Gapan Gallery, Garma Festival, Gulkula, Northeast Arnhem Land
2018 Biennale of Australian Art, Ballarat, VIC
2018 Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Griffith Regional Art Gallery, Griffith NSW
2018 Ngura Ninti | Knowing Country, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2018 art Karlsruhe 2018, ARTKELCH @ art Karlsruhe 2018, Karlsruhe, Germany
2018 ST'ART 2018, ARTKELCH @ ST'ART 2018, Strasbourg, France
2017 Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Tasmanian Museum And Art Gallery, Hobart
2017 Wueste | Meer | Schoepfermythen, ARTKELCH Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum Koeln, Germany
2017 Buku-Larrnggay - Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum, Koeln, Germany
2017 Gapu-Monguk: Saltwater Journey to Sea Country, National Australian Maritime Museum
2017 Tarnanthi 2017, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
2017 Earth Matters: Aboriginal artwork from the Kimberley and Arnhem Land - FORM - The Goods Shed, Perth 2017 Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Bayside Arts and Cultural Centre Gallery, Brighton VIC
2017 Gapan Gallery 2017 - Gapan Gallery, Garma Festival, Gulkula, Northeast Arnhem Land
2017 Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, Castlemaine State Festival, Castlemaine Market Building, VIC
2017 Environmental Defenders Office NT, Fundraising Auction, Outstation - Art from Art Centres, Darwin
2017 Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition, University of Newcastle Gallery, Newcastle NSW
2017 Mulka, ARTKELCH Collectors Lounge @ kptec, Schorndorf, Germany
2017 Buku-Larrnggay, Art Karlsruhe, Germany
2017 Buku-Larrnggay, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2017 ST'ART 2017, ARTKELCH @ ST'ART 2017, Strasbourg
2017 Buku-Larrnggay, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2017 Mulka, ARTKELCH Collectors Lounge @ kptec, Schorndorf, Germany
2017 FINALISTS. 1997 | 2017, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2016 Yirrkala Print Space Group Show, Koskela, Sydney
2016 Mokuy Festival of light, Federation Square, Melbourne
2016 Untitled #1, Hanging Valley, Melbourne
2016 Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression, Charles Darwin University Gallery, Darwin
2016 Aboriginal Signature, Aboriginal Signature Gallery, Brussels
2016 Mala - Together as a Group, Raft Artspace - Core Collective Studio Space, Hobart
2016 Geisterstunde - Bei, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2015 Lundumirringu - Annandale Galleries, Sydney
2015 Balnhdhurr: A Lasting Impression | Tarnanthi 2015, Adelaide College of the Arts, Adelaide
2015 Revolution: New work celebrating 20 years of printmaking at Yirrkala Print Space, Nomad Art, Darwin 2015 Buku-Larrnggay Mulka - Yirrkala Print Space Exhibition, Gapan Gallery, Garma Festival, Gulkula, Northeast Arnhem Land
2014 Earth Wind and Fire, Galleria Gracis, Milan
2014 Parcours des Monde, Paris, France
2014 Burralku - Gabrielli Pizzi, Melbourne
2014 London Art Fair, JGM Art, London
2013 Yirrkala 2013, Yumutjin, Baluka, Nawurapu, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne
2013 Debil Debil, Anna Schwartz, Sydney
2013 Wood, Jam Factory, Adelaide
2012 Djang, Ancetres Createurs - Carry On Art Aborigene, Geneva
2012 RERRKIRRWANGA MUNUNGURR & NAWARAPU WUNUNGMURRA New Works bark paintings & mokuy spirits, Annandale Galleries, Sydney
2011 Barrku! Treasures from a Distant Land, Harvey Art Projects, Sun Valley, Idaho
2011 Djambawa Marawili, Liyawaday Wirrpanda and Nawurapu Wunungmurra, Annandale Galleries, Sydney
2010 17th Biennale of Sydney - Larrakitj, the Kerry Stokes Collection - Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
2009 3rd Moscow Biennale - The Garage, Moscow
2009 Floating Life - Contemporary Aboriginal Fibre Art, Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane
2009 After Berndt - Etchings from the Drawings, Indigenart, Subiaco/Perth
2009 Larrakitj, The Kerry Stokes Collection, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth
2008 Optimism - Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
2008 Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Print Space - After Berndt - Etchings at Print Exhibition - Gapan Gallery, Festival of Darwin
2008 Outside Inside - Bark and Hollow Logs from Yirrkala, Bett Gallery, Hobart
2008 Bitpit Yirrkala Sculpture, RAFT Artspace, Darwin
2007 Bukulungthunmi - Coming Together, One Place, Raft Artspace, Darwin
2007 Buku-Larrnggay Mulka - Yirrkala Print Space Exhibition, Gapan Gallery, Festival of Darwin
2007 Palya Art in Melbourne, The Barn, Melbourne
2006 Ngann Girra Festival, Albury Regional Museum, Albury NSW
2006 APS Bendi Lango art exhibition supporting indigenous psychology education, Art d'Australie Galerie Seine 51, Paris
2006 L'esprit de Terre d'Arnhem, Passage de Retz, Paris
2005 Yakumirri, Holmes a Court Gallery, Perth
2003 Buku-Larrnggay Mulka - Larrakitj Installation, Gapan Gallery, Garma Festival, Gulkula, Northeast Arnhem Land
2000 Saltwater Country - Bark Paintings from Yirrkala - A National Tour, John Curtin Gallery, Curtin University, Perth
1999 Saltwater Country - Bark Paintings from Yirrkala - A National Tour, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane
1999 Saltwater Country - Bark Paintings from Yirrkala - A National Tour, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs
1999 Saltwater Country - Bark Paintings from Yirrkala - A National Tour, Museum of Modern Art at Heide, Melbourne
1999 Saltwater Country - Bark Paintings from Yirrkala - A National Tour, The National Maritime Museum, Sydney
1999 Saltwater Country - Bark Paintings from Yirrkala - A National Tour, Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra
1999 Gapu Miny�tji - Sacred Water Designs of the Australian Aborigines of north-east Arnhem Land, Crafts Museum, Delhi, India
1996 Big Barks, Annandale Galleries, Sydney
1989 Paintings and Sculptures from Yirrkala, North East Arnhem Land, Lyttleton Gallery, Melbourne