RICHARD BIRRINBIRRIN - UNTITLED
RICHARD BIRRINBIRRIN
UNTITLED,
95 x 47 cm
Natural Earth Pigments on Bark
REGION
Ramingining Central Arnhem Land, NT
PROVENANCE
Private Collection
Cooee Art Leven, NSW
STORY
Birrinbirrin was taught to paint and given the right to stories by his father, the renowned artist David Malangi.
Born in 1953 at Milingimbi mission, he was initiated on the beach outside his father's self constructed tin-shed home. Malangi was always keen that his sons and daughters received "two way" (balanda and yolngu) education and Birrinbirrin went on to become a mental health worker for the Ramingining Clinic for 10 years.
As a leader in ceremonies Birrinbirrin is not new to performance. Indeed, he made his public performance debut in New York in 2002. As an accompaniment to The Native Born exhibition, Birrinbirrin and his brother Gulaygulay were commissioned to perform a dada (smoking) ceremony. Birrinbirrin has travelled to Taipei, Tokyo and Canberra to make public art.
ARTIST PROFILE
