Milŋiyawuy (River of Stars)
2020
Medium
earth pigments on Stringybark (Eucalyptus sp.)
Measurements
144.0 × 71.3 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Lisa Fox, 2021
© Naminapu Maymuru-White/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
Gallery location
Gallery 2
Ground Level, NGV Australia
About this work
Naminapu Maymuru-White is a member of the Manggalili clan of the Yirritja moiety. Born in 1952 at Yirrkala mission in North-East Arnhem Land, Maymuru-White continues to live and practice in Yirrkala, largely producing work out of Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Art Centre. Maymuru-White is understood to be one of the first Yolŋu women to engage with the painting of miny’tji (sacred clan designs) and was taught by her father Nänyin Maymuru and father’s brother, Narritjin Maymuru, who also have work exhibited in Bark Salon. Many of her recent works depict Milngiyawuy, which in English refers to the Milky Way, or ‘river of stars’. Through her use of black and white ochre, Maymuru-White conceptualises the spiritual qualities of the Malngiyawuy River, where significant clan events are mapped into the voids of the Milky Way.
Renowned for her innovative monochromatic ochre compositions, Maymuru-White’s work navigates the celestial tapestry, intertwining the tangible and metaphysical realms. Drawing inspiration from ancestral narratives, her meticulous depictions of the Milky Way traverse the boundaries between sky, sea and land, offering a testament to the interconnectedness of life and legacy. Through her evocative brushwork, she invites viewers to embark on a transcendent journey through the ancestral river of stars, illuminating the eternal bond between past, present and beyond.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Yirrkala, Northern Territory
Inscription
printed (vertically) in ink and inscribed in fibre-tipped pen on paper label on reverse u.r.: ● BUKU-LARRAŊGAY MULKA ● / (two figures) (in a circle) / YIRRKALA N.T. (all in a circle) Artists NAMiNAPU / Description / CatNo 2853-20 Price
inscribed (vertically) in fibre-tipped pen on reverse u.c.l.: 2853-20 (upward arrow)
Accession Number
2021.193
Department
First Nations Australia