NEW ACQUISITIONS

In my role as Collection Management Curator, I have the privilege of working with our amazing collection of artworks and it is always exciting when new works are acquired and enter the collection. Over the last few months, we have acquired a number of very special works, most donated by our very generous benefactors who have entrusted their special treasures to MRAG to care for, and share, for generations to come.

These recently acquired artworks include: intricate drawings by French artist Eric Manigaud, rugby jacketed ceramic sheep by NZ artist Gregor Kregar, video pieces by Daniel Crookes and local artists David Lobb and Romy Church (a work commissioned for our Sleepwalking exhibition), a momentous series of paintings by James Drinkwater, the quirky mini-series of scenarios Escapade by Tinky, and significant works by Australian artists Rick Amor, Jean Baptiste Apuatimi, David Aspden, Gunther Christmann, Tony Coleing, Joe Frost, Tuppy Goodwin, Hannah Kay, Rosemary Laing, Richard Lewer, Eileen Napaltjarri, Deborah Paauwe, Evan Salmon, Valerie Strong Olsen and more…

The most recent work to enter our collection is the Dhopiya Yunupiŋu bark painting, Galiku Buŋul (Cloth Dance), 2022, which was purchased with funds donated by our Contemporary Collectors and selected by their votes at our Collectors Club event on Friday 16 June 2023.

Dhopiya Yunupiŋu lives and works in Yirrkala, which is a small community of approximately 800 people, in North East Arnhem Land. Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre is a central hub of this community and is where Yunupiŋu works to create her paintings on bark, ceramics and Larrakitj poles. This artist is from the very talented, and famous, Yunupiŋu family: her father Muŋurrawuy, was a senior Gumatji cultural leader and artist, her five sisters were talented artists, her brothers were teacher and lead singer of the band

Yothu Yindi, Mandawuy Yunupiŋu and land rights leader Galarrwuy Yunupiŋu, (both Australians of the Year) and her cousin was musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupiŋu. This painting is from a series of works that were inspired by stories passed down to the artist by her father that relate to a part of Australian history that is now coming to light - the precolonial trading relationship, that dates back hundreds of years, between the Yolngu, the traditional Indigenous custodians of this region, and sailors from the Indonesian province of Makassar.

Since as early as the 15th century the Makassar have been visiting the north coast of Australia. They would arrive and camp along the Arnhem Land coast to catch, dry and smoke, trepang (sea cucumber) which was then traded to China. The Yolŋu people were involved in all aspects of this industry and the Makassans were also absorbed into Yolŋu society with shared responsibilities and rights and the relationship extended to shared spiritual expression.

It has now been confirmed that some Yolŋu people also accompanied the Makassan back to Sulawesi, where they started families of their own.

In this painting Dhopiya draws upon the songlines of ceremonies and rituals associated with the annual visits by Makassan fisherman by combining traditional sacred rrark (cross-hatching) with images of female figures dancing with the Galiku (cloth).

Dhopiya Yunupiŋu is represented in major public collections including the National Gallery of Australia and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art and now, thanks to our Contemporary Collectors, a work by Dhopiya Yunupiŋu is at home in the Maitland Regional Art Gallery Collection.

Dhopiya Yunupiŋu is represented by Sullivan + Strumpf, Sydney.

Cheryl Farrell, Collection Management Curator

4 https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/ resources/trade-with-the-makasar

5 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-11/ mystery-community-of-aboriginal-andindonesian-families/101901188