Artiste : Dhambit #2 Wanambi (dec)

Titre de l'œuvre : Yalanba

Pigments naturels sur écorce

Format : 86cm x 44cm

Provenance et certificat original : centre d'art aborigène de Yirrkala

Référence de la peinture : 4091-22

© Photo : Aboriginal signature with the courtesy of the artist & Buku-Larrngay Mulka.

Explication de l’œuvre :

Yalanba is the name of the artist's brother. But it is also the name of the shiny black sand that adorns this bark painting. It occurs in one spot only at Bayapula near Garthalala on Caledon Bay. The old base for Donald Thomson's NTSRU in the Second World War. Yalanba harvests it from this place because that area belongs to his clan the Marrakulu whose identity is depicted in this work. He created this work at Yilpara on Blue Mud bay.

The songs refer to Bamurruŋu, a sacred and solitary rock in Trial Bay. It is a white dome in the Bay - a round lump of granite its top coloured white by roosting birds, in the lapped by the molmulpa or white sea foam associated with turbulent and agitating waters created by particular tide and wind. The fish which swim  up to Bamurruŋu are referred to as Marparrarr or milk fish, somewhat like a large mullet. These were once people of the stone country behind where the Marrakulu have now se􀀄led close the mouth of the Gurka’wuy river. They turned to Marparrarr on reaching the shore and following the feathered string to Bamurruŋu. The Beings of Marparrarr were the ‘same’ as the original inhabitants of Gurka’wuy, in this manifestation, populating Marrakulu sea country as land totems do in this area. Yolŋu of this area speak of a hole submerged under the rock, from where bubbles are seen rising to the surface, sometimes bursting forth with a rush. The bubbles are seen as a life force and a direct Ancestral connection for the Marrakulu.

The Marparrarr have knowledge of this special phenomenon as do the law men. The rock is like a  ‘statue’ for Mali Djuluwa Makaratjpi. When the Marrakulu perform ritual dance for the events mentioned here. Participants move towards a held spear representing the steadfastness of the rock, spli􀀂ng the dancers who then surround Bamurruŋu moving as does the sea to song and rhythm of Yidaki and Bilma. Bamurrungu is seen as part of a set of three rocks which stand in the mouth of Trial Bay submerged either completely or partially within its waters. The waters of Gurka’wuy River flow out through Trial Bay past these rocks conflicting and clashing in a turbulent unity with the incoming tidal waters from the deep ocean. Their names rarely spoken are Dundiwuy, Bamurrungu and Yilpirr…

Demander le prix de l'œuvre / Enquiry