Mermaid - Muŋgurrawuy's journey from Matrjinba to Yirrkala
2020
- Medium
- synthetic polymer paint on Stringybark (Eucalyptus sp.)
- Measurements
- 292.5 × 98.0 cm
- Place/s of Execution
- Yirrkala, Northern Territory
- Inscription
- inscribed (vertically) in fibre-tipped pen on reverse u.c.: 7174-19
- Accession Number
- 2021.45
- Department
- First Nations Australia
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Orloff Family Charitable Trust, 2020
© the artist, courtesy of Buku Larrnggay Mulka - Gallery location
- Gallery 2
Ground Level, NGV Australia - About this work
-
This bark chronicles the story told by the artist’s mother’s sister, Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu, about her spirit conception and the journey taken by Muŋgurrawuy to Yirrkala. Eunice was conceived in her mother’s belly and her spirit was the mermaid. At the base of the bark is her eventual husband, Rirratjiŋu legend Roy Dadayŋa Marika, known as the ‘Father of Land Rights’ and depicted here as the Rirratjiŋu ancestral spirit/hero Gunitjpirr man. He is standing inside a triangle shape, which references the footprint of Yirrkala in those days.
