The art of central Arnhem Land is characterised by diversity and innovation.

By contrast with northeastern Arnhem Land, where artists work within a strictly formulated code of clan patterns, the art of central Arnhem Land is very individual and stylistically heterogenous.

In this theme we look at the reasons why the art of central Arnhem Land is so diverse and innovative.

• intense ceremonial and artistic exchange between different cultural and language groups
• different historical experiences
• diversity of media

There are many reasons for the diversity of central Arnhem Land art:

• while the same structure of moieties and clans prevail, the art forms of central Arnhem Land are less formalised and encourage individual creativity
• there is a rich history of ceremonial exchange in the region
• the history of coastal settlements at Maningrida and Ramingining is very different from settlements like Ngukur further inland

It is only very recently that the diversity and ?? of art in central Arnhem Land has been fully appreciated.

Central Arnhem Land

In central Arnhem Land artists work with considerably more individual freedom and stylistically their work is very diverse. In place of the feature blocks and repeating clan patterns of northeastern Arnhem Land, we find narratives set within a landscape reminiscent of forests, grassy plains and salt and fresh water.

The earliest artists from this region began working at the Methodist missions founded at Milingimbi Island (1923) and Galiwin’ku on Elcho Island (1942): Dawidi, David Malangi, Paddy Dhatangu and Jimmy Wululu.

The settlement of Maningrida was created in 1939 as a trading post and medical centre to stop the drift of Aborigines into Darwin. Ramingining, another mainland settlement, was created in the 1960s. Ngukurr, in the south, did not emerge as an art centre until the late 1980s.

The dynamism and diversity of Aboriginal art in central Arnhem Land can be attributed to the intense ceremonial and artistic exchange between so many different cultural and language groups.

By looking through some illustrations in Morphy we can examine a range of experimental and innovative work from central Arnhem Land.

• Some artists, like John Bulun Bulun, paint in a very formal style (Morphy, Illus. 155).
  
• An artist like George Milpurruru is concerned with the continuity of the Dreaming but he also wants to paint differently from his father (Morphy, Illus 170).
  
• Artists such as Jack Wunuwun (Morphy Illus. 158) and Djardi Ashley (Morphy 159) depict the Morning Star ceremony, a major ritual of diplomacy.
  
• Mandarkk (Morphy Illus118) lived in isolation on an outstation south of the Mann River. In his unique style the head is seen in profile and the body, on a plain background of red ochre is infilled with rarrk.
  
• Rembarrnga artist Paddy Fordham Wainburranga paints with a loose fluid line and dots. Because he was displaced from his birthplace he is not entitled to paint the rarrk of his own region. Instead Wainburrranga paints scenes from the history of colonisation: How World War 11 Began, (Morphy Illus 38) and Too Many Captain Cooks.

Hollow log coffins

Traditionally hollow log coffins are part of mortuary ceremonies that allow for the passage of the spirit to the ancestral domain and they renew relationships with the Dreaming.

David Malangi’s painting of Murayana (Morphy, Illus 48) depicts a hollow log coffin in which the bones of the deceased are placed. The figure of Murayana emerges from the forest to accompany the deceased to the spirit world.

Les Midikuria’s (Morphy Illus 169) very contemporary painting of a Petrol Sniffer depicts ceremonial dilly bag designs associated with mortuary rituals. He links this with a petrol sniffer to warn that sniffing is potentially dangerous and can destroy culture.

In 1988, the year in which white Australia celebrated 200 years of colonisation, Djon Mundine, then art adviser at Ramingining, conceived of an Aboriginal Memorial using 200 hollow log coffins (Morphy, Illus. 20-21). The ‘forest’ of burial poles by a group of Ramingining artists represents both the living people of Arnhem Land and it is a memorial to all those Aboriginal people killed in the process of colonisation. Simultaneously it operates as a map of place marking the path of the Blyth River to the coast.

Looking at the Aboriginal Memorial

Look at the Aboriginal Memorial at the National Gallery of Australia. (Select "Collections", then "Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art".)

How has the meaning of the poles changed in the gallery context?

How do you account for the different styles in the poles?

Wagilag and Djang'kawu

Caruana discusses two of the most important creation narratives in Arnhem Land: the Wagilag (Wagilak) Sisters Story and the Djang’kawu Sisters.

The Wagilag Sisters exhibition in 1997 at the National Gallery of Australia documented the development of the story cycle over three generations. This is an opportunity to compare the style of:

• central Arnhem Land artists: Paddy Dhatangu, Albert Djiwada and his daughter Daisy Manybunharrawuy, Jimmy Wululu, David Malangi and Philip Gudthaykudthay; and

• north eastern Arnhem Land artists: Mawalan Marika and Mathaman.

Crusoe Kurdal

Central Arnhem Land has a long history of sculpture used in ceremonial contexts and for sale. Kunwinku artist Crusoe Kurdal has the sole right to carve mimi figures. He inherited the right to carve these figures from his father, the late Crusoe Kuningbal, one of the most prolific carvers of early figures.

Ginger Riley Munduwalawala

Ngukurr artist Ginger Riley Munduwalawala from Roper River south of Arnhem Land did not commence painting until 1984. He always depicts the landscape at the mouth of the Linmen Bight River, the country of the Mara language group.

With bright colours and zigzag patterns Ginger Riley depicts the land between a set of hills, the Four Arches and the coast. His totem the sea eagle Ngak Ngak, watches over the snake Garimala who created many of the waterholes along the coast.

Textiles and fibre

Fibre also plays an important role in the Top End. The diverse range of techniques include coiling, twining and looping. The objects produced are significant in practical and spiritual ways. Fibre objects are directly connected with the ancestral beings. Flat circular mats, conical mats and bathi or dilly bags are associated with the Djang’kawu sisters. One artist, Lena Yarinkura, has won acclaim for her paper bark and pandanus figures of Yawkyawk (mermaid spirit figures).

Maningrida

Until very recently the fibre craft produced by Aboriginal artists, both men and women, has generally been overlooked. From a western perspective fibre was viewed as craft rather than art. Yet fibre work is important in ceremony and in daily life (e.g., Morphy, Illus 13, pp.156-7: 229-30).

Growing interest in fibre work has stimulated innovation from twined dilly bags and the conical pandanus mats (associated with the Djang’kawu creator beings) to the fish traps made by men such as Anchor Kulanba.

Lena Yarinkura and her mermaids

This article focuses on Lena Yarinkura, who won the Wandjuk Marika Three Dimensional Award in the 14th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award for her sculptures of Yawk Yawk mermaids. Originally Lena Yarinkura worked in bark painting with her husband Bob Burruwal. Clearly, she is very proud of her innovative designs.