Details of Boliny Wanambi
About
MEDIUM AND THEME:
Ochres on bark
Carved and wooden painted figures
Printmaker
Larrakitj
BIOGRAPHY:
Boliny's father was the late Marakullu leader and artist Mithili. She spent her childhood at Marrakulu homeland Barraratjpi which is based on the inside of Cape Shield on Blue Mud Bay. The new homeland of Gurka'wuy was established in the early 70's by her father and other artist elite Dundiwuy and they lived there together.
Boliny is the widow of Birrikitji - Dhalwangu clan leader up to the early 1980's. Boliny has worked at the Women's Resource Centre, creating hand painted ceramics, and helps with the women's program. Boliny is a prolific artist also working with natural ochre on bark, lino-cut images and wood carvings.
Boliny's successful joint show with her sister at Framed in June 2006 saw her achieve a measure of recognition she deserved. She was an assistant to various other artists over the years including the prize winning works by Banduk Marika and probably her brother Wukun but had generally stayed out of the limelight. That show in Darwin was widely ackowledged as one of the best exhibitions of the year and completely sold out two large rooms of work. This success was repeated at the same venue in 2008 in the Marrakulu group show featuring Boliny. In 2009 she exhibited at Annanndale Galleries in Sydney where her work sold out including to the National Gallery of Australia. The catalogue for that event included an essay which said, "Boliny is a mother figure to the community. She has raised countless children and grandchildren with a sweet, effortless energy. Amongst these are her younger brothers Wukun Wanambi abd Yalanda Wanambi who are each now well known artists. Her patience and persistence and humility grind on. Thankless tasks and hopeless causes are the grist from which she produces regular triumph. It is in her hands that the marginal becomes bountiful. Those of us who have experienced her loving solicitude are joyous that she overcame a serious health threat. Her intelligence and humour make her wisdom all the sweeter. All of this ingenuity and diligence is in her work which is her constant companion."
EXHIBITIONS:
1998 - Buku-Larrangay Mulka Printmakers 1st Exhibition, Yirrkala
1998 - Buku-Larrangay Mulka Printmakers Exhibition, Art Gallery of the NT University, Darwin
1999 - Saltwater Country - Bark Paintings from Yirrkala, the Drill Hall Gallery - a national tour to Perth, Sydney, Melbourne & Alice Springs
2001 - 'New from Old', Annandale Galleries, Sydney
2003 - Sydney Aboriginal & Oceanic Art Fair
2005 - 'Concord - One Exhibition Eight Communities', Framed Gallery, Darwin
2006 - 'Two Sisters - Boliny and Ralwurrandji Wanambi', Framed Gallery, Darwin
2006 - Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
2006 - 'Great Women I Have Met', Boliny and Ralwurrandji Wanambi, Mogo Raw Art & Blues, Mogo, NSW
2007 - 'Two Sisters - Boliny and Ralwurrandji Wanambi', Alison Kelly Gallery, Richmond, Victoria
2007 - Galuku Gallery, Festival of Darwin, NT
2007 - 'Bukulungthunmi - Coming Together, One Place', Raft Artspace, Darwin, NT
2007 - Gapan Gallery, Galkula, NT
2008 - 'Outside Inside - bark and hollow logs from Yirrkala' Bett Gallery, Hobart
2008 - 'Yarpany - Honey, The Art of Marrakulu', Framed Gallery, Darwin
2008 - 'Same Only Different', Mogo Raw Art & Blues, Mogo, NSW
2008 - 'Etched in the Sun' Prints made by Indigenous Artists in collaboration with Basil Hall & Printers
2007 - ANU, Canberra
2008 - 'A Few Real Gems I Have Come Across', Mogo Raw Art & Blues, Mogo, NSW
2008 - 'Boliny Wanambi Marrakulu Gapu', Annandale Galleries
2010 - 'White', Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
COLLECTIONS
National Museum of Australia, Canberra
Berndt Museum of Anthropology, University of WA, Perth
Wollongon University
Kelton Foundation, California
Colin & Liz Laverty
Kerry Stokes Collection
National Gallery of Australia
Artworks of Boliny Wanambi
- Images not found.