- Title: Ganyu BHE
- Artist: Gulumbu Yununpingu (dec)
- Region: Arnhem Land
- Art Centre: Buku Larrnggay Mulka
- Medium: Etching
- Collection: Basil Hall Collection
- Dimensions: 19 x 14 cm
- Edition Size: 100
- Price ($AUD): $ 195.00
Artwork Story
Gulumbu explained that some stars (gan’yu) are special for Yolngu.
The stars come in season when the food and berries come out. The stars will travel through the sky during that month until the season is over and don’t come out until the next season.
There are special stars in the sky which Yolngu call wishing stars. They give Yolngu bush tucker and multiply the foods in the sea – that’s why Yolngu are happy to see them. That’s what Gulumbu’s father told her.
The stars are spirits of Yolngu who exist within specific bodies of water in North East Arnhem land when they are not in corporeal form. They exist in the astral dimension as well as ethereally within the water.
Gulumbu says that when she looks at the stars she thinks about the universe, all around, and about every tribe, every colour. In every corner of the world people can look up and see the stars. This is Gulumbu’s vision. In her art, she focuses on the link between all people everywhere. The link between people on earth and stars in the sky is real.
Gulumbu stressed that “We look UP to the stars, trees grow UP, people sit or stand UP, the poles stand UP”. What do we grow up to? (looking up)…the stars!” The life force inevitably matures into eternity (death) as a natural stage of growth. She also says that the larger stars she represents are those visible to our naked eye but the dots are those that we cannot see which are there as well. This is what a being with an infinite view would see in the night sky- nothing but stars.
© Buku-Larrnggay Mulka