The Two Men, Nabira-mira
1948
Medium
earth pigments on Stringybark (Eucalyptus sp.)
Measurements
70.5 × 36.6 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of the Commonwealth Government, 1956
© Gumuk
Gallery location
Gallery 12
Level 2, NGV Australia
About this work
In 1948 the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land brought scientists, anthropologists and photographers to northern Australia for a seven-month research journey. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic and the Australian Government, the expedition collected artworks – some of which entered the NGV Collection – from communities such as Groote Eylandt. Most often purchased as commissions and framed as ethnographic objects, these works reflected a growing interest in the aesthetic sensibilities of First Nations artists. It would not be for another decade after this acquisition that First Peoples would be counted as citizens, however – a reminder of the complex interplay between colonial power, freedom and art.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory
Inscription
inscribed in fibre tipped pen on reverse l.l.: 1.5.48 / No 45
inscribed (inverted) in fibre-tipped pen on reverse l.r.: 139
Accession Number
O.9-1956
Department
First Nations Australia
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation