Brisbane buyers snap up Aurukun art

by | Apr 20, 2016 | Uncategorized

Aurukun’s famous sculptures and paintings are being snapped up by Brisbane art lovers with seven pieces bought on the first day of an exhibition at the Woolloongabba Art Gallery.

Aurukun Mayor Dereck Walpo said Wik and Kugu artists David Marpoondin, Lex, Bevan, Leigh and Garry Namponan created 20 sculptures and paintings which included birds, a crocodile and the highly acclaimed Aurukun dogs.

The exhibition, called Kang ka nam – old one, Ying ka nam – new one, Phi in – big one, will be officially opened by University of Queensland Associate Professor Sally Butler on Wednesday (April 20) and will run until May 14.

Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said from an arts perspective, the Aurukun Dogs had made the Aurukun community stand out from the rest.

“While the other works art in this exhibition will be greatly appreciated, it has been the unique nature of the Aurukun Dogs which has attracted discerning collectors from around the world to personally travel to Aurukun – hoping to secure one of these unique and magnificent pieces of art,” he said.

“The Aurukun Dogs will, without a doubt, keep the international focus on indigenous art firmly centred on Aurukun.”

The Woolloongabba Art Gallery Exhibition is the Wik and Kugu Art Centre’s first show for 2016 and will be closely followed by shows in Melbourne and the Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair in July.

Garry Namponan is currently working on some development works for his upcoming solo show with Kick Arts Contemporary Art in Cairns during CIAF 2016.

He is using the markings he created for his dog sculptures as the basis for a design on new pre-stretched canvas from Create Art which he is painting with ochre and acrylic binders.