Artiste : Bulthirrirri Wunuŋmurra (1981)

Titre de la sculpture : Mokuy

Format : 260 x 15 cm

Sculptures et pigments naturels sur tronc d'eucalyptus

Provenance et certificat : centre d'art aborigène de Yirrkala

Référence de l'œuvre: 5799-21

Explications pour cette œuvre :

The artist says about this work; “The mokuy or nanuk (spirits) come in together, Dhuwa and Yirritja to the sacred ground called Balambala, past Gangan, the other side for all the mokuy to get together. The spirits go there and that’s where they make the yidaki sound. It’s like showing Yukuwa (sacred yam emblem) and Morning Star feathers – they are different. Like same goes with yidaki, different sounds for Yirritja and Dhuwa. The Yirritja and Dhuwa play yidaki to call in the Mokuy to the same ground Balambala. The Yirritja mokuy come in on the birds, djilawurr (scub fowl) and bugutj-bugutj (banded fruit dove). The Dhuwa mokuy they come in from rangi side (saltwater).” He responds to the question whether this work is traditional in the affirmative. This indicates that there are sacred objects of the same appearance within the closed world of Yolngu cabinet (Ŋärra’)…

In 2016 Nawurapu took a monochromatic version of these triangular cloud designs (which are shared by all Yirritja clans and relate to the water cycle of souls going from ocean to vapour to cloud to freshwater rain rebirth) and used them to decorate his mokuy (spirit sculpture). He then also used them on larrakitj (memorial poles for the first time). In other contexts they speak of massive cumulo-nimbus thunderheads decorated with the blacks of storm, the yellow of the suns rays and the red of the sunset.

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

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