Peter Marralwanga | |
---|---|
Born | 1916 West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia |
Died | 1987 (aged 70–71) |
Known for | Painter |
Style | Bark paintings; rarrk |
Patron(s) | Yirawala |
Peter Marralwanga (1916–1987), also known as Djakku (meaning left-handed[1]), was an Aboriginal Australian artist known for his paintings. He was a member of the Kardbam clan of the Bininj people, and spoke the Kuninjku language.[2]
Born in 1916 in West Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia,[3] Marralwanga derived influence from Yirawala, a fellow artist and elder from his community. He is best known for his creation of paintings both on paper and bark. These works reflect the artistic practices of his elders and community, featuring elements of ceremonial and spiritual creatures alongside the cross-hatching pattern known as rarrk. He taught younger artists of his region including his son, Ivan Namirrki, and nephew, John Mawurndjul. He is regarded as an inspirational painter from the region.
Marralwanga began to paint during his mid 50s, starting around 1970. Under the guidance of Yirawala, Marralwanga began to incorporate ceremonial items in his works. His later style was further influenced by Yirawala.[4] In Kuninjku art, much artistic content is sacred, and artists have strict guidelines on what they can depict in their works. Artists who have special roles within a community may receive exclusive rights to paint certain images.[5] Due to his age he gained permission from to incorporate ceremonial elements and knowledge into his work.[6] His use of rarrk strayed from its original use for mortuary painting. He passed his knowledge of rarrk to a new generation of artists and was an inspiration in their works.
While much of Marralwanga's work was derived from ceremony, he incorporated elements from his own life and experiences. Marralwanga described the inclusion in his work of both ceremony and personal experiences as "half secret one, half ordinary one."[7] This combination saw him create a diverse body of work.