CV + BIO
Garawan Wanambi
Born in 1965, Garawan Wanambi belongs to Marrakulu clan and works out of the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Northern Arhem Land. After his father's death in 1973, Garawan was brought up by a Marrangu leader, Yanggariny Wunungmurra, and adopted to the Marrangu clan. Through this connection, Garawan paints Marrangu designs, the counterpart of Marrakulu from the other side of Arnhem Bay. Garawan and his family continue to live and work at Gängan, to the south of Yirrkala, and he has emerged as one of the most gifted of the new generation of artists based there.
Garawan extends the history and practice of Yolŋu painting. Whilst continuing to use natural pigments and rarrk (crosshatching), he extends the possibilities of these methods through the mixing of natural pigments to form unique colours and deliberate tonal variations. His precise geometry and complex layering of designs create a depth of field on an otherwise flattened surface and a mesmerising optical effect. In doing this, Wanambi explores the Yolŋu concept of Buwayak ‒ simultaneously making elements both visible and invisible.
He was a finalist in the Telstra Art Prize in 2009, 2014, 2020, and a finalist in the Kate Challis RAKA Award in 2013. In 2014 he was awarded the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Best Bark painting prize.
Garawan has works held in a number of significant collections; Kerry Stokes Larrakitj Collection, The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection (USA), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Charles Darwin University Art Collection, Artbank, Art Gallery of South Australia, National Museum of Australia, Monash University Art Museum Collection. His works are also held in private collection both nationally and internationally.Solo Exhibitions
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 Garawan Waṉambi - The Cleansing - Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2016 Garawan Wanambi - Hanging Valley & Tristian Koenig Gallery. Melbourne VIC
2015 Garawan Wanambi Bark Paintings - Milani Gallery, Brisbane QLD
2013 Marrangu Paintings - Niagara Galleries Melbourne VIC
2009 Garawan Wanambi - Niagara Galleries Melbourne VIC
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 38th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards-Finalist - Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), NT2019 Mittji – The Group - Hugo michell Gallery, Adelaide
Tarnanthi 2019 - Art Gallery of South Australia
Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Whitlam Institute Gallery UWS NSW
Salon des Refuse - Charles Darwin University Art Gallery
Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Cowra Regional Art Gallery,Cowra NSW
Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong NSW
2018 Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Warwick Art Gallery, Warwick QLD
Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, Caboolture, QLD
Minytji - Essence of the Land - Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, Bruxelles, Belgium
Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Griffith Regional Art Gallery, Griffith NSW
Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring ExhibitionBal - Griffith Regional Art Gallery, Griffith NSW
art Karlsruhe 2018 - ARTKELCH @ art Karlsruhe 2018, Karlsruhe, Germany
2017 Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Tasmanian Museum And Art Gallery, Hobart TAS
Gapu-Moṉuk: Saltwater Journey to Sea Country - National Australian Maritime Museum
Notions of Country Bark: Paintings & Ceremonial Poles - Annandale Galleries
Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Bayside Arts and Cultural Centre Gallery, Brighton Victoria.
Salon des Refuse 2017 - Charles Darwin Univiersity Art Gallery, Darwin NT
Balnnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - Castlemaine State Festival, Castlemaine Market Building VIC
Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Touring Exhibition - University of Newcastle Gallery, Newcastle NSW
Legends and Lore - Artitja Fine Art, Perth WA
2016 Gapan 16 - Prints from Garma 2016 - Chapman & Bailey and Hanging Vallery, Melbourne VIC
Gapan Gallery, Darwin - Nomad Art, Darwin NT
Gapan Gallery in the Past - Nomad Art Productions, Darwin NT
Salon des Refuse 2016 - Charles Darwin University Gallery, Darwin NT
The Salon des Refusés 2016 - Charles Darwin University Art Gallery, Darwin NT
Buku-Larrnggay Mulka - Yirrkala Printspace Exhibition - Gapan Gallery, Garma Festival, Gulkula, Northeast Arnhem Land NT
Buku-Larrnggay Mulka - Yirrkala Printspace Exhibition - Gapan Gallery, Garma Festival, Gulkula, Northeast Arnhem Land NT
Yirrkala Print Space Group Show - Koskela, Sydney NSW
Balnhdhurr - A Lasting Impression - Charles Darwin University Gallery, Darwin NT
2015 Balnhdhurr: A Lasting Impression – Tarnanthi 2015 - Adelaide College of the Arts, Adelaide SA
Coast / Lines - Short Street Gallery, Broome WA
COAST / LINES - Short St Gallery, Broome WA
Lumggurma - Brumby Ute Aspen, Colorado USA
2014 31st Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award - Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Darwin NT
2013 Under the Sun - Kate Challis RAKA Award 2013 - Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, Melbourne VI
2011 Barrku! Treasures from a Distant Land - Harvey Art Projects, Sun Valley, Idaho USA
28th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award - Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin NT
2011 One Clan Three Hands - Garawan Wanambi, Wolpa Wanambi, Wukun Wanambi - Niagara Galleries, Melbourne VIC
2010 17th Biennale of Sydney - Larrakitj, the Kerry Stokes Collection - Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney NSW
Korea International Art Fair - COEX Korea Exhibition Center, Seoul, Korea
‘Returning to Djakapurra’ - A Collection of Poles and Barks from Yirrkala - Redot Gallery, Singapore
2009 26th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award - Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin NT
Larrakitj, The Kerry Stokes Collection, - Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, WA
2008 25th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards - Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin NT
Yarpany - Honey: Art of the Marrakulu Clan - Framed Gallery, Darwin NT
New Generations, Yirrkala artists - Creative Economy, Brisbane QLD
Yarpany - Honey: Art of the Marrakulu Clan - Framed Gallery, Darwin NT
2007 Bukulungthunmi - Coming Together, One Place - Raft Artspace, Darwin NT
Bukulungthunmi - Coming Together, One Place - Raft Artspace, Darwin NT
Galuku Gallery (Nomad Art Productions) - Darwin Festival, Darwin Botanical Gardens, NT
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2021 Catalogue, Tarnanthi, The Art Gallery of South Australia
2010 Catalogue: 17th Biennale of Sydney - The Beauty of Distance, Songs of Survival, in a Precarious Age. ISBN 978 0 64652 794 9
2011 One clan three hands - Garawan Wanambi, Wolpa Wanambi, Wukun Wanambi ; in association with Buku-Larrnggay Mulka. Catalogue of exhibition held at Niagara Galleries in Melbourne from 8 Feb-5 Mar 2011
2015 Garawan by Jennifer Harrison Volume 74, Number 3, 2015. Meanjin Quarterly
Awards
2014 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Darwin NT - Winner Best Bark Painting
2013 Kate Challis RAKA Award, Australian Centre University of Melbourne, Melbourne VIC - Finalist
COLLECTIONS
Kerry Stokes Larrakitj Collection, WA
The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia. USA
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney NSW
Charles Darwin University Art Collection
Artbank, Sydney NSW
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide SA
National Museum of Australia, Canberra ACT
Monash University, Melbourne VIC