Wikipedia

Joe Guymala

Joe Guymala (born 1969) is an Aboriginal Australian artist and musician of the Burdoh clan of the Kunwinjku people, known for his paintings on bark, paper and memorial poles known as lorrkkon.[1]

Joe Guymala
Born1969
Manmoyi, Northern Territory, Australia
NationalityAustralian
OrganizationInjalak Arts
Known forBark painting, lorrkon,
RelativesNamerredje Guymala (grandfather)
Joe Guymala points to his work "Ngalyod dja Ngalkunburriyaymi (Rainbow Serpent and Water Spirit)" 2018 on display as part of the exhibition "Munguyhmunguyh" at the University of Virginia, January 2020.

Biography edit

Joe Guymala was born in 1969 at Manmoyi outstation about 160 kilometres (100 mi) east of Gunbalanya, Northern Territory. Guymala is a skilled musician and toured across Australia with both the Mimih and Nabarlek bands before turning to painting. Guymala wrote many songs about traditional stories and country in his time as a musician. Guymala also worked as a member of the Warddeken Rangers where he controlled feral animals, protected rock art sites, and managed controlled burns of country.[1]

Career edit

Guymala began painting in 2010, influenced by his grandfather Namerredje Guymala who painted on barks and rock shelters. Guymala's early works are characteristic of traditional Kunwinjku style and feature a mixture of rarrk (cross-hatching) and rock-art style to portray kangaroos, fish, crows, and mimihs.[1] It did not take long for Guymala to begin experimenting with different forms creating his own interpretation of single line rarrk using unrefined ochres. Guymala has mastered the art of painting with manyilk, a thin sedge brush[2] to apply line after line, layer upon layer to his compositions. Guymala's work is often considered playful and features his day-to-day life out bush. He paints primarily for Injalak Arts in Gunbalanya.

Residency at the University of Virginia edit

In January 2020, Guymala traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia for the opening of the exhibitions The Inside World at The Fralin Museum of Art and Munguyhmunguyh (Forever) which was organized by the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection.[3] Guymala was able to view works in the Kluge-Ruhe collection produced by his grandfather. During his time at the University of Virginia, Guymala created his first limited-edition print, working with master-print Akemi Ohira in the McIntire Department of Art to produce a linoprint on mulberry paper. He also performed his songs on radio station WTJU and in performances at The Fralin Museum of Art.[4]

Collections edit

Significant exhibitions edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d The inside world : contemporary Aboriginal Australian memorial poles from the Debra and Dennis Scholl collection. Skerritt, Henry F., 1979-, Nevada Museum of Art. Munich. ISBN 978-3-7913-5816-1. OCLC 1054260300.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^ Garde, Murray. "manyilk". Bininj Kunwok Online Dictionary. Bininj Kunwok Regional Language Centre. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. ^ Loos, Ted (10 March 2020). "Richly Decorated Memorials Emerge From Ancient Traditions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Joe Guymala treks from Gunbalanya to WTJU, Jan 23". WTJU. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Munguyhmunguyh (Forever): Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the John W. Kluge Injalak Commission". Kluge-Ruhe. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Rising Stars 2016". Aboriginal Art | Outstation. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  7. ^ Ward, Matt (2017). "2017 Salon Des Refuses" (PDF). Salon Des Refuses. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Joe Guymala is in the building!". Injalak. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2020.

Further reading edit

External links edit

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