Dawidi | National Museum of Australia

Galwanuk clan, Liyagalawumirr language, Dhuwa moiety

Black and white photograph of a man sitting on the ground. - click to view larger image — Dawidi

About 1921–1970

Dawidi inherited the role of ritual leader of the Liyagalawumirr when his father, Yilkari Kitani, died in 1956. Too inexperienced to assume full responsibility for the role at the time, he was aided by his uncle, Tom Djäwa, and was tutored in art by Dhawadanygulili (1900–1976) until about 1963.

Dawidi’s major subject is the Wägilak Sisters story, and the paintings in this exhibition reflect his artistic maturity. He featured prominently in the exhibition The Painters of the Wagilag Sisters Story 1937–97 at the National Gallery of Australia in 1997. He is represented in major public collections in Los Angeles, Paris and Basel, as well as within Australia.

Paintings in the exhibition

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts a central dilly bag fish trap with a number of fish inside it. On either side there is a goanna. On the left there is a snake and several fish and on the right a number of fish. - click to view larger image — *Dilly Bag Fish Trap*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts a central snake encircling four figures with a large wedge-shaped object on the left. The painting also contains groups of figures, spears, rounded star shapes, oval shapes, sticks and footprints. The painting has a red background with white dots. - click to view larger image — *The Wägilak Story*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts an elongated central form with a squared black head and pairs of plant shapes protruding from each side. The background consists of a grid-like pattern of crosshatching with horizontal stripes of burr forms and dotted ovals. - click to view larger image — *Wägilak Raŋga (Elder Sister)*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. The painting is divided into three panels with the upper panel depicting a boomerang with two figures lying below it and above, a vertical design of alternating black and crosshatched columns. The central panel has five vertical columns set against a background of horizontal bands. Three of the vertical designs have a chain motif while another depicts a human figure between two footprints. The lower panel depicts a feathered object between two poles. There are ten crosshatched panels to the left of this and twelve to the right. - click to view larger image — *Wolma, the First Thunder Cloud and the Rain Flooding the Country*

A bark painting worked in ochres. It depicts a central crosshatched triangular object with fan shapes above and surrounded by two coiled snakes. There is a row of fan shapes across the top alternating with red and black caterpillar shapes. The painting has a red background covered with white dots. - click to view larger image — *Wurrdjarra ga Marrma’ Wititj ga Marrma’ Djarrka (Sand Palm and Fronds with Two Snakes and Two Goannas)*

Paddy Dhäthaŋu

Bob Balirrbalirr Dirdi

Tom Djäwa

Djunmal

Birrikitji Gumana

Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters

One Road: Aboriginal Art from Australia’s Deserts

Google Arts and Culture

Museum blog

Donations

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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