Yalpi Yunupingu - Nomad Art

Artist: Yalpi Yunupingu
Art Centre: Buku Larrnggay Mulka
Region: Arnhem Land

Artwork Story

Although relatively young Yalpi is a senior ceremonial leader of Arnhem land. Yalpi has two wives Yananymul Mununggurr and Rerrkirrwanga Munungurr with whom he has ten children. Both women are members of the Djapu clan. Both women are winners of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Best Bark Prize. Both women’s fathers won Telstra prizes during their lifetimes. They are classificatory sisters. Yananymul (winner of the 1995 Best Bark prize) is the daughter of Mutitjpuy Munungurr (1932-1995; winner of the 1990 NATSIAA First Prize) and Rerrkirrwanga (winner of the 2009 Best Bark prize) is the daughter of Djutadjuta Munungurr (1935-1999; Winner of the 1996 NATSIAA Best Bark Prize). He has collaborated with each of them separately in the production of his paintings which usually feature Gumatj diamond designs.Judith Ryan noted his collaborative relationship with Yananymul in her 1990 book ‘Spirit in Land’.

Father is Bunungu and his older brother by some twenty years was Lumaluma 2 Yunupingu. His mother was Wurruluma of the Djapu clan. Yalpi has been a muscular defender of the interests, both ceremonial and political, of his mother clan in his role as one of their senior Djungaya (manager).

Inherently a conservative, Yalpi was a surprise initiator of non-figurative larrakitj in the decade of the 2000s. This style was quickly adopted by other artists but his Gumatj and Djapu pair for the Stokes Collection were the first such pair in the modern era.

Exhibitions:

1984, The First National and Aboriginal Art Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin.

1994, The 11th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museum and Art galleries of the NT, Darwin.

1995, Miny’tji Buku-Larr\gay, Paintings from the East, National gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

1996, 13th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museum and Art Galleries of the NT, Darwin.

1997, 14th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museum and Art Galleries of the NT, Darwin.

2002, 19th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museum and Art Galleries of the NT, Darwin.

2003 Garma Larrakitj Installation, Gulkula Garma Festival 2003

2004 Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, Sydney

2004 Binocular: Looking closely at country, Ivan Dougherty Gallery UNSW COFA

2005 Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, Sydney

2008, Gapan Gallery – Bendt etching Prints, Garma Festival Site, Gulkula, NT.

2008, Galuku Gallery Berndt Etching Prints, Darwin Festival, Botanical Gardens, Darwin,NT

2009 After Berndt – Indigenart – Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA

Collections:

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

JW Kluge Collection, Virginia, USA

Buku-Larrnggay Arts Museum, Yirrkala, NT

Art Bank, Sydney, NSW

Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW

Bibliography:

Arnold, J. et al, Nambara Art, promo booklet, 1990, Colemans Printing Nhulunbuy

J.Ryan ‘Spirit in Land’