Jeremiah Bonson, Serena Bonson, Chubasco Pascoe WARRABURNBURN

Artist Biographies

JEREMIAH BONSON

Jeremiah Bonson is a Djinaŋ/Marung artist. He was born in Darwin but raised at the outstation Gamurra-Gu-yurra, his mother Matilda country. Jeremiah and his wife lived in Galiwinku but now moved to  Maningrida with his family. Jeremiah is a dancer, musician (he plays the yidaki or didgeridoo), painter and sculptor. Although an emerging artist, he was taught his traditional culture and traditional song line (bourgur) by his adoptive father Jimmy. His practice is informed by a culture thousands of years old.

These spirits sleep during the day and can only be seen at night when they come out to hunt, dance, sing, laugh and play. They are tall and skinny and jubilantly gather water and hunt for food (natha) at local billabongs—their favourite food is the yam. But, although they are happy, joyful spirits, they will take you away if you get too close. When they dance, they are covered with white clay, which Bonson represents in his sculptures by the white dots. He skillfully captures the playful spirit of these mimi, making them distinctly his own with their armless, slender bodies and friendly faces.

SERENA BONSON

Born in Miwirnbi, Serena Bonson lives and works in Manigrida community in the Northern Territory. Her heritage is of Djowinge moiety, the Djinang language group and she is part of the Murrungun clan. Bonson has quickly become known for her striking carvings in stringybark painted in black and white to depict the Wangarra spirits. The Wangarra play a key role in the stories of Bonson’s community relating to death, birth and the transition of the spirit into the afterlife, and in rebirth. They are considered indicative of ancestral beings and deeply connected to the waterholes that are central to the stories of the clan and their connections to land.

CHUBASCO PASCOE

Burarra artist Chubasco Pascoe was born in Mewirnba and lives and works in Maningrida community in the Northern Territory. He is of Duwa moiety. His mother’s country is at Gamurra Gu-yurra.

His bark paintings often depict local animals and plants such as yams, buttlerfly vines, goannas or blanket lizards. He also paints images of ceremonial objects such as morning star poles. His work is distinctive for its graphic, pared-back style. It was featured in Maningrida Arts & Culture’s stand at Tarnanthi in Adelaide in 2019.

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