Wurrakuy (Sacred fish)
1969
Medium
earth pigments on Stringybark (Eucalyptus sp.)
Measurements
140.0 × 69.0 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Rene and Malcolm Davidson in memory of Jim Davidson, 1995
© The Estate of Mathaman Marika, courtesy of Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Mathaman Marika began painting on single panel bark for non-ceremonial purposes around 1940. This followed visits by anthropologists to Yirrkala, who would commission bark paintings in their attempt to translate Yolŋu customs to people living in urban centres. Marika had work collected by the 1948 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, led by Charles Mountford. In 1963, Marika and his four brothers led the development and presentation of the Yirrkala bark petitions to the Australian Government, showcasing the intrinsic relationship between art making and political activism for Yolŋu peoples.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Yirrkala, Northern Territory
Accession Number
1995.363
Department
First Nations Australia
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation