SPOT LIGHT ON MIMIHS & WARRABURNBURN: ARTWORKS FROM THE BUNGALOW

TToday's Spotlight brings you a collection of cheeky mimih spirits  and warraburnburn from the top end of Australia in Arnhem Land. Arnhem Land has a culturally rich heritage, that includes a deep belief and reverence for the elusive mimih spirit. These beings are deeply woven into the fabric of Arnhem Land culture and represent a vital source of inspiration for local artists who translate these spiritual narratives through intricate carvings marked with natural pigments, using traditional clan designs that convey identity and kinship. The use of ochre and wood harvested from country emphasises the sacredness of materials sourced from the land, highlighting a profound relationship with nature. While the carvers reinterpretations of ancestral themes reflect both the continuity of tradition and an adaptive creativity that resonates within contemporary contexts.

The resulting carvings of mimih and warraburnburn are depicted in a refined, slender, even emaciated form with a broad range of facial expressions giving both individual character to, and denoting the potential volatility and humour that mimih spirits are notable for in their interaction with bininj (humans). Now a familiar and broadly depicted figure of iconography, the mimih spirit, once used as an addition to the sharing of song cycles and ceremony, has since been elevated to a prominent form and subject of contemporary sculpture. These sculptures work as individual pieces or group them together to form an alliance of mimih's! Short St Gallery invites you to view today's Spotlight via the link below. We are offering 10% discount on multiple purchases from today's Spotlight.