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Andrew Wanambi Margalulu

Andrew Wanambi Margalulu

Andrew Wanambi Margalulu

Andrew Margululu, an Aboriginal artist, is renowned for his work that vividly captures the journeys of the Wagilag Sisters, a pivotal Aboriginal creation myth. This narrative not only explores the spiritual quests of those who hunt honey but also the landscapes they shaped along their travels.

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PROFILE

Andrew Wanambi Margalulu

Andrew Margululu, an Aboriginal artist, is renowned for his work that vividly captures the journeys of the Wagilag Sisters, a pivotal Aboriginal creation myth. This narrative not only explores the spiritual quests of those who hunt honey but also the landscapes they shaped along their travels.


In 1989, Margululu became the first artist from Ramingining to create a large-scale bark painting for the Kluge Ruhe Collection, a significant archive of Aboriginal Art housed at the University of Virginia in the United States. His exceptional work set a high standard for future contributions by other artists to this prestigious collection.


Djon Mundine, a respected curator and writer on indigenous Australian art, has described the Australian landscape as "full of signs," a sentiment that resonates strongly with Margululu's artwork.


Margululu has excelled in the traditional medium of bark painting and has also collaborated with printmaker Theo Tremblay to produce striking contemporary prints. He was a pivotal figure in the first print workshops at Milingimbi in 1996, where he adapted his traditional designs for this new medium. His transition to lithography was particularly successful, reflecting his ability to innovate while preserving his cultural heritage.


In 1997, during a series of workshops led by Theo Tremblay in Ramingining, Margululu contributed to 'The Ramingining Print Suite'. This important collection of prints centred on the Wagilag Sisters’ creation story, highlighted a unique collaboration among celebrated Aboriginal artists. Additionally, Margululu was commissioned to create a painting for the Federal Airports Corporation, now permanently displayed at Darwin Airport.


His art typically features subjects deeply rooted in his culture, including Yarrpany (Dhuwa moiety honey), catfish, bream fish, the Mewal honey spirit, sea snake, and water goanna. These themes underscore his profound connection to his heritage and the natural world.

ARTIST CV

Collections
Australian Museum, Sydney.
Kluge Ruhe Collection, Charlottesville, USA .
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin.
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
Tropenmuseum, Kindermuseum, Amsterdam.


Group Exhibitions
1983 Australian Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
1984 Aboriginal Art, an Exhibition Presented by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra.
1987 Bark Paintings from Ramingining, Birukmarri Gallery, Perth, WA.
1989 Aboriginal Art: The Continuing Tradition, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
1990 Ramingining Art, Birukmarri Gallery, Fremantle.
1992 Art of the Spirit, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Surfers Paradise, Queensland.
1994 The Eleventh National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin.
Bibliography
Isaacs, J., 1984, Australia’s Living Heritage, Arts of the Dreaming, Lansdowne Press, Sydney.(C)
NT News, 27/12/1993, p. 6.
1983, Australian Perspecta 1983, A Biennial Survey of Contemporary Australian Art, exhib. cat., Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
Art from the Land: dialogues with the Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Australian Aboriginal Art ed. by Howard Morphy and Margo Smith, University of Virginia 1999.

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