A new life-size painting by internationally-renowned Indigenous artist Gulumbu Yunupingu has been unveiled at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.

 

The artwork, Garrurru (Sail), represents the boats of the seafaring Indonesian traders the Macassans, who have had strong economic and cultural connections to the people of Arnhem Land, including Yunupingu’s clan the Gumatj, for at least 400 years.

 

Painted on a piece of Jarrah wood measuring seven metres by three metres and weighing one tonne, the artwork was lowered and installed through the roof of the College’s Hedley Bull Centre by crane.

 

The painting was officially unveiled yesterday by ANU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington. Professor Hughes-Warrington said the artwork was inspired by the strong historical links between Indigenous peoples in northern Australia and their Indonesian neighbours.

 

“In Yolngu, the word Garrurru means sail and derives from the Macassan word for sailcloth.  This close linguistic link demonstrates the centuries of interaction between the fishermen of the Indonesian archipelago and the Indigenous communities of Arnhem Land.  The artwork is a symbolic representation of the close links between Australia and Asia – one of the major elements in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific and its programs," she said.

 

“One of the great strengths of the ANU collection is the corpus of Indigenous art, both traditional and contemporary, that it contains. It reflects the major role that ANU has played and continues to play in research into Aboriginal society and culture.

 

“Gulumbu is an artist who works in many different media including bark painting, screen printing, weaving and jewellery making. She has exhibited widely throughout Australia and won several major awards, including first prize in the 2004 Telstra Award. In 2006 she was named Deadly Visual Artist of the Year. ANU is truly honoured to have acquired such an important example of her work.”

 

Gulumbu Yunupingu’s works have been exhibited overseas several times and she was one of eight artists invited to produce work for the opening of the Musée du quai Branly in Paris in 2006. She is the sister of two former Australians of the Year: Galarrwuy Yunupingu and Youthu Yindi frontman Mandawuy Yunupingu. Garruru was commissioned by the University’s Public Artworks Committee.

 

The Hedley Bull Centre is home to the Department of International Relations, the Department of Political and Social Change, the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre and the Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy.

 

Additional reporting by Tegan Dolstra