Body marks
1996
Medium
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Measurements
91.0 × 60.7 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gwynneth White Adamson Bequest, 1997
© Courtesy of the artist’s estate
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Senior Larrakia artist and song man Prince of Wales began painting in 1995, creating these works the following year. They depict traditional Larrakia body designs rendered with rhythmic dotting and bold bars that evoke the musicality of song, like a visual symphony. Prince was raised around Cullen Beach (now a luxury marina) in Darwin, his connection to Country remaining strong despite the area’s colonial transformation. ‘Cullen’ is a Westernisation of the Larrakia word ‘khalin’, and was once a site where Aboriginal children were taken after being forcibly removed from their families. Prince’s father, Imabul (also known as King George), resisted the colonisation of Larrakia land and lobbied against laws that excluded Aboriginal people from Darwin after 1916, demanding the right to remain on Country.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Darwin, Northern Territory
Inscription
inscribed in fibre-tipped pen on reverse u.l.: 00115
Accession Number
1997.291
Department
First Nations Australia
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation