Binyinyuwuy | National Museum of Australia

Djarrankuykuy clan, Djambarrpuyŋu language, Dhuwa moiety

Black and white photograph portrait of a man. - click to view larger image — Binyinyuwuy

1928–1982

Binyinyuwuy was a consummate, prolific and influential artist of high ritual authority, which gave him the rights to paint an array of subjects belonging to his moiety, the Dhuwa, and those of the Yirritja.

He was a driving force among the group of artists on Milingimbi during the 1960s, which included Tom Djäwa and David Malangi.

His work forms part of a number of celebrated collections, including those of the major state art museums, the Arnott’s Collection at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, museums in Paris and Basel, and the Kluge-Ruhe Collection at the University of Virginia.

Paintings in the exhibition

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. The painting is divided into two panels with the upper panel divided into five columns each containing a series of black, white, red or yellow butterflies. The lower panel depicts a large yam plant with black, red and yellow fruit and leaves. - click to view larger image — *Bartji ga Bonba (Yams and Butterflies)*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts a mortuary pole surrounded by a frowning skull, two bones, a bird-like form, two bulb-shaped objects and a club-like shape. There are also five elongated forms, three painted in black and three in yellow and a paddle-like shape. The painting has a crosshatched background in lines of red, yellow and white. - click to view larger image — *Djalumbu (Hollow-Log Coffin) Mortuary Ceremony*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. The painting is divided into three panels with horizontal crosshatched bands. In the top section there are two goannas, a serpent, a caterpillar and three leafy plants. In the centre there is a kangaroo in x-ray style, a serpent coiled over the kangaroo and two triangular crosshatched objects with fan-like attachments. In the lower panel are four more x-ray style kangaroos, a goanna, three serpents, two leafy plants and four fan shapes. The painting has a background of white dots. - click to view larger image — *Mirarrmina Sacred Well of the Liyagalawumirr*

John Bulunbulun

Dawidi

Paddy Dhäthaŋu

Bob Balirrbalirr Dirdi

Tom Djäwa

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All these bark paintings are part of the National Museum of Australia’s collection. © the artist or the artist’s estate, licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency 2013, unless otherwise specified. These images must not be reproduced in any form without permission.

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