Balnhdhurr - a Lasting Impression Yirrkala Print Space
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BALNHDHURR - A LASTING IMPRESSION BALNHDHURR - A LASTING IMPRESSION YIRRKALA PRINT SPACE a lasting impression WARNING Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are respectfully advised that this publication contains the names and images of deceased persons 2 3 4 5 CONTENTS Foreword 8 Introduction 10 Early Linocuts 14 Early Colour Reduction Linocuts 16 Early Collagraphs 18 Early Screenprints 22 Japanese Woodblocks 26 Etchings 30 Berndt Crayon Etchings 32 String Figure Prints 34 Ngarra – Young Ones Portraits 38 Gunybi Ganambarr Portraits 40 Seven Sisters 42 Djalkiri – We are Standing on Their Names 48 Mother / Daughter 50 Midawarr Suite 52 The Yuta Project 56 Gapan Gallery 60 Afterword 62 List of Works 66 Acknowledgements 68 6 7 THE SONG OF THE PRESS I arrived at Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in May 1995 just as Andrew and Dianne Blake were bringing into fruition Steve Fox’s vision for a dedicated Print Space. The new studio was built onto the existing 1960’s handbuilt cypress pine ex- mission hospital building which had been the art centre since 1975. Since then I have been an interested observer. A nosy neighbor listening to the music coming over the fence. From within an art centre, which is a vehicle for serious lawmen and women to represent their law in natural media as a political and artistic act of resistance to the dominant settler culture, comes a completely different tune. A lilting, gentle, persistent, sweet melody of (mostly) women humbly working together to make beautiful things. It has been the sound of laughter and considerateness. The sound of compassion and empathy and respect and dignity. But above all the sound of friendship. I will go to my grave frustrated that I can’t seem to explain to people the difference between a print artist and a printmaker. But I guess I will try once more here. That unrecognised artisan, who takes the incised lino or the several sheets of painted acetate and produces the final limited edition work on paper for the artist to sign, seems to be invisible to most. As much as this exhibition celebrates the 137 different artists who have made prints through the Yirrkala Print Space in twenty years I would also like it to be an acknowledgement of the inspiring effort of a group of Yolngu and Balanda (again mostly) women to turn up day after day over twenty years to assist those artists to realise their vision. To make a print is hard physical labour. It wears the elbow, the back, the feet. It is tricky, pernickity technical work. Something is always going wrong for unexplained reasons. There are fewer and fewer printmakers being produced by Australian art schools. It is unpopular, unfashionable damn hard work. But in a remote corner of Arnhem land this ancient guild craft has not only survived but prospered through the good will and loving energy of a group of people who put a greater goal before their own comfort. They have produced beautiful music whilst they also made 804 separate print editions. This is my thanks to Dianne Blake, Annie Studd, Marrnyula Mununggurr, Dundiwuy Mununggurr-Wunungmurra, Araluen Naminapu 2 Maymuru, Sasha Earle, Ruby Djikarra Alderton, Munuy’ngu Marika, Godut Ganambarr, Bawu Gurruwiwi, Paula Gumana, Burrthi Marika, Dhalmula Burarrwanga, Dindirrk Mununggurr, Mawang Gumana, Amos Wurramarrba, Multhara #2 Mununggurritj, Ganybu Mununggurr, Lirrina Mununggurr, Aleisha Isaacs, Barrata Marika, Dhapanbal Yunupingu, Bulmirri Yunupingu, Gandhurrminy Yunupingu, Gunariny Wanambi, Whaiora Tukaki, Barayuwa Mununggurr, Mamburra 2 Raymond, Gurmarrwuy Yunupingu, Nuwaniny Burarrwanga and all the others that I have forgotten to add. Will Stubbs Coordinator, Buku-Larrnggay Mulka. 8 9 BALNHDHURR “a mark made as a sign for people to follow.” Buku-Larrnggay Mulka is the art centre for the Yolngu people of Yirrkala and the adjacent remote region of North East For many of the artists the new processes provided exploration into new palettes, genres, styles and media. When Arnhem Land. Yirrkala is perched on the coastal peninsular where the Arafura Sea meets the Gulf of Carpentaria. Since sanctioning the production of art by mechanical reproduction the elders were concerned to prevent copyright infringement the 1950s the artists and their artwork have gained international and national acclaim and are represented in major of sacred design (which is much more serious in Yolngu culture than in mainstream law). They decreed that ‘to paint the public and private collections. land you must use the land’. This limits miny’tji (sacred design) to original works in natural media and therefore bars it from being reproduced multiple times by mechanical printing techniques. This has been observed in all prints made by In 1975 Buku-Larrnggay began as an act of self-determination in the post Mission era. It has always dedicated itself to Yirrkala Print Space. the maintenance and preservation of Yolngu law and culture. The Yirrkala Print Space began in 1995 when a purpose built area was designed to host a printing press and ‘seize the means of production’ into Yolngu hands. It was Basil Basil Hall is not the only one to have visited the Print Space. Inspiration and guidance has come from other printmakers Hall who assisted in this first installation and training and he has made annual visits until the present day. Since the working for him such as Simon White, Jacqueline Gribbin and Merran Sierakowski, and independently such as Paul inaugural print the studio has produced over 800 editions by 135 artists and is now an integral component of the art Machnik, John Wolseley, Alicia Scobie, Heather Burness, Adrian Kellett and Sean Smith, each with their own contribution centre and community. to the Print Space. Important bodies of works such as Djalkiri (2010), Seven Sisters (2012) and Midawarr Suite (2013) are the direct result of these collaborations. One of the few printing studios based in a remote Indigenous community, its philosophy is to provide an environment to educate, engage and strengthen the vision of Yolngu through artistic skills development and exploration of The platform provided for artists to expand their artistic endeavours has produced works included in prestigious national new techniques. awards and in exhibitions worldwide. Young participants in recent projects - Young Ones (2010) and Yuta (2012) - have begun to establish themselves as the next generation of Yolngu artists, and the Print Space offers them an empowering It acts as a training area for emerging artists and is staffed by Indigenous printmakers. and valuable practice as a foundation on which to develop. So for twenty years, without interruption, the Yirrkala Print Space has achieved what no other has - an Indigenous owned This celebratory retrospective exhibition gives all who have been involved in Yirrkala Print Space over 20 years - who have worked hard to ensure its success and who have never waivered in their belief that such an entity can exist and be and run remote print studio. This exhibition celebrates and attempts to promote appreciation of that achievement. successful - the chance to contemplate and reflect on their efforts. For those who contributed so significantly but are no longer around it provides an opportunity to honour and respect their involvement. And for those still working hard, it is In this time the Yolngu printmakers of the studio have produced prints using a variety of different techniques – woodblocks, the chance to share their achievements with a new audience and inspire others to believe in themselves and show that linocuts, etchings, screenprints, collagraphy and lithography. Over this period the skills learnt from Basil Hall and print creative self-empowerment is possible no matter who or where you are. coordinators Dianne Blake, Araluen Maymuru and Annie Studd have been handed down amongst the generations of Yolngu printmakers who have passed through the Yirrkala Print Space. Annie Studd, Dindirrk Mununggurr, Mawang Gumana, Yulula Marika Printmakers, Yirrkala Print Space, 2015 10 11 12 13 Early LINOCUTS In 1995 when the Yirrkala Print Space began, the initial medium chosen was black and white linocut prints. The process of carving with a razor into a block of lino (similar to that used on floors) was familiar to the artists from wood carving traditions. Once covered with ink and rolled though a printing press the image appears. It was amazing that the first attempts at printmaking emerged as fully resolved fine art. An early decision was made not to chase artists but to let them enter the space at their own volition. This happened quickly and gained momentum into 1996. Another early decision was to make small editions, thus requiring the artists to return and engage with the new process more frequently. In order to catalogue the prints, each artist TOP TO BOTTOM / 2A Dhuwarrwarr Marika Daymirri / 8B Gaymala Yunupingu Baru was given an ascending number starting at LEFT / 4A Nyapanyapa Yunupingu Gunbirrirr number 2. For each new print by that artist an ascending letter was assigned starting at A. As the years went by some artists produced so much work they finished the alphabet and so it moved to AA and so forth. Nyapanyapa Yunupingu’s first print 4A was a linocut in 1995, her most recent in 2015 is reference 4ZZ. 14 15 Early COLOUR REDUCTION LINOCUTS The complexity of reduction linocut, introduced in 1997, enhanced and developed the artist’s printmaking understanding. The process of reduction linocut involves a series of progressive cuttings, inkings, and printings; the image slowly emerging as the original lino is destroyed. There is no going back! This was the beginning of colour in the Print Space. ‘Nyapilingu Wapitja’ the triptych by Naminapu Maymuru-White, originally editioned in black and white became a linocut reduction in 1996 under the guidance of Basil Hall. The work went on to win the Work on Paper Award at the 1998 13th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.