The Gecko and the Mermaid

The Gecko and the Mermaid
The Gecko and the Mermaid

The Gecko and the Mermaid

Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu and Her Sister

Free entry

NGV International

Ground Level, Children’s Gallery

17 Dec 21 – 25 Apr 22

Geckos, turtles, lizards and mermaids! This summer’s exhibition introduces two significant contemporary Yolŋu artists from North-East Arnhem Land to our youngest of visitors. Award-winning artist Ms N Yunupiŋu and her sister Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu share their stories, culture and language through displays of art and hands-on activities developed especially for the exhibition.

Colourful animations of Ms N Yunupiŋu’s artworks teach children how to count in Yolŋu Matha, the language of Yolŋu people, and a multimedia game gives children insights into the abundance of bush foods and cultural connections to Country.

Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu’s fascinating mermaid story, depicted in her bark paintings, is retold in an activity in which children can draw themselves as a mermaid to complete a three-dimensional seashell. Children can also learn about some of the varieties of shellfish called maypal, and their purpose in Yolŋu culture, through playing with soft cushions depicting imagery of maypal in the artist’s mermaid cove.

This exhibition is a collaboration between Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre and the National Gallery of Victoria.

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Visitors enjoying The Gecko and the Mermaid: Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu and Her Sister exhibition activities
Photo: Getty

Activities

Turtles and Geckos

Especially for toddlers and preschoolers, young children can learn how to count up to five in Yolŋu Matha (the language of the Yolŋu people) when they explore this zone. Featuring animations of kangaroos, turtles, fish and crocodiles, based on artwork by artist Ms N. Yunupiŋu and narration by the exhibition artists’ granddaughter, Siena Stubbs, children can enjoy a playful language lesson in Yolŋu Matha.
A walk in the bush

Inspired by the land and sea, children play a multimedia game based on a walk where they are introduced to the artists’ Country of North-East Arnhem Land. Walks in the bush or on the beach collecting food with children is one of the ways for Elders to share stories and pass on knowledge to their loved ones. In this game, children can find out which berries are delicious, what it means when a flower blooms, and where the best spots are for bush foods such as ganguri – a yam that ripens in the harvest season. A rich learning and visual experience, the game concludes under the stars.
We are Mermaids

In an ocean-inspired setting children learn about one of Djerrkŋu’s stories when they make their own ‘We are Mermaids’ diorama set. As a mermaid, Djerrkŋu lived in the sea sunning herself on a rock in the waters of North-East Arnhem Land, then one day her father was fishing with his spear and sights a tail in the water. Visit the exhibition to find out what happens next!
My bark painting

To complete the visit, children can respond to the stories of both artists when they create a drawing on a digital interactive, inspired by Yolŋu artists’ bark paintings. Completed digital paintings can be captured on a smartphone ready to share with friends and family. This activity reflects the collaborative spirit of this exhibition, and the generosity of the artists to share their stories, art and culture with us.
The Gecko and the Mermaid Virtual Tour

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Children's board book

Join Yolŋu artist Ms N. Yunupiŋu and her granddaughter Siena Mayutu Wurmarri Stubbs on a counting adventure across Country, spotting animals of Arnhem Land and learning Yolŋu Matha, the language of the Yolŋu people, along the way.

This bilingual board book introduces young children to numbers up to five and makes counting fun.

Suitable for ages 0–3.

 Available from NGV design store – shop online
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Bark Ladies: Eleven Artists from Yirrkala | Episode four: The Gecko and the Mermaid: Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu and her sister

Related Exhibition

Bark Ladies Eleven Artists from Yirrkala 17 Dec 21 – 25 Apr 22

The NGV sincerely thanks artists Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu and her sister Ms N Yunupiŋu, Will Stubbs, Buku Coordinator; Siena Mayutu Wurmarri Stubbs; and Buku staff Chloe Gibbon, Joseph Brady and Arian Ganambarr-Pearson, for their generous collaboration to realise The Gecko and the Mermaid: Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu and Her Sister.

The Gecko and the Mermaid: Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu and Her Sister is generously supported by Packer Family and Crown Resorts Foundations, City of Melbourne and Spencer Ko.