ARTHUR DIXON JALYIRRI - UNTITLED

ARTHUR DIXON JALYIRRI
UNTITLED,  2023
109 x 109 cm
Digital illustration printed on 320gsm smooth cotton paper
 
PROVENANCE
Painted at Elliott, NT
Niagara Galleries, Melbourne Vic Cat No. AD23024
Private collection, Sydney, NSW
Art Leven [formerly Cooee Art], Gadigal (Sydney, NSW)
 
 
 
STORY
Arthur (Jalyirri) Dixon, a Mudburra artist born in 1994, comes from Marlinja, a small community near Elliott in the Northern Territory, approximately 700 kilometres from both Darwin and Alice Springs. Growing up in a family where creativity flourished, he was immersed in music as a means of storytelling and preserving the Mudburra language, one of the oldest on Earth. His father, Ray Dimakarri Dixon, and his sister, Eleanor Dixon, are both recognised singer-songwriters.
Arthur’s paintings are defined by expressive, gestural marks and are often created on unstretched canvas. His works balance subtle shifts in tone with bold contrasting pigments, leaving parts of the canvas exposed to bring an additional layer of texture. These elements combine to form a strikingly evocative abstract style.
 
Central to Arthur’s artistic philosophy is the Mudburra word ngurramarla, which speaks to the deep connection with ancestors and the creative flow that stems from it. This concept underpins his practice, guiding his instinctive approach to painting and reflecting his commitment to nurturing and honouring his relationship with Country.
 
In 2023, his works were exhibited for the first time at the Desert Mob exhibition in Alice Springs, where two pieces were titled Ngurramarlawas. These paintings marked an impressive debut, showcasing an emerging artist with a confident, intuitive style and a profound cultural grounding.
 
 
EXHIBITED
Arthur (Jalyirri) Dixon, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne, March 2024