Author Description

This publication is the exhibition catalogue for Miwatj Yol¿u, presented at Bundanon Art Museum, 28 October 2023 to 11 February 2024.The exhibition explores storytelling, ecology and materiality in the works of Yol¿u artists from the Yirrkala Community in East Arnhem Land. Like the Shoalhaven, Yirrkala is a place where fresh and saltwater meet, and its lands and waterways inform diverse creative practices. Miwatj Yol¿u translates to 'sunrise people' in Yol¿u Matha (Yol¿u tongue). Geographically, Miwatj refers to the furthest north-eastern part of Arnhem Land that receives the rising morning sun. Yol¿u artists enact cultural traditions through the expression of both sacred and secular narratives. The use of materials from local lands is an important part of this practice, encompassing natural ochres, ¿uwayak (bark painting) and larrikitj (memorial poles). Some artists in this exhibition have pioneered the use of reclaimed materials, such as repurposed dance boards, toner inks from used printer cartridges and signage salvaged from nearby bauxite (aluminium) mining operations. Others employ audio-visual technology in the documentation of ceremony, cultural history and the creation of new media artworks. Presenting both senior and emerging artists from across the Yirrkala region, Miwatj Yol¿u highlights the centrality of weather patterns and ecological systems within Yol¿u culture. It brings together works from the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, the Mulka Project digital archive and private collections from across Australia, sharing interwoven stories of land, water and sky.