COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: KUNUNURRA & MOWANJUM

‘I had been watching all those people painting at the art centre - every morning I watched them, and I asked my sister if I could come and paint. Now I come here, and paint and I dance here too. My paintings are about the stories of my Country and culture - the way the land is from the dreaming and where we travel to hunt and fish.’ - Minnie Lumai

The Kimberley is renowned for its diverse and unique styles of art. Short St Gallery is proud to operate from the Kimberley and share space and history with many of these art communities. We are proud to showcase two of these communities located in Kununurra and Mowanjum in the north of the region. Artistic practice has always played a cultural and economic role in the Kimberley with art being produced for cultural reasons such as ceremonies and as trading devices. Kununurra is host to Waringarri Arts which supports the Kira Kiro artists from Kalumburu and the Mirriwong people, whose land reaches from east Kimberley all the way to the Northern Territory border and into Keep River National Park. Mowanjum community houses its own arts and culture centre which is located in the east Kimberley close to Derby. It is the creative hub and support for the Worrorra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbai people.

Waringarri is the first wholly indigenous owned art centre established in the Kimberley region and one of the oldest continuously operating art centres in Australia, supporting more than 100 artists. The art centre focuses on supporting traditional skills such as bark harvesting and ochre collection alongside the creation of cultural artefacts and storytelling through contemporary artworks. Kira Kora art practice is grounded in the rock art tradition, in particular the Wandjina or “rain maker” or Gwion Gwion figures, the helpers of the Wandjina. Art practice also includes themes of land animals, sea-life and seasonal flora and bush foods and medicinal plant knowledge. Mirriwoong artist focus on stories about country and land that relate to bigger cultural and spiritual themes. Both art communities share the importance of their country and culture through their innovative and contemporary art practice.

The Mowanjum Art and Cultural Centre is a creative hub for the Worrorra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbal tribes. The three language groups are united by their belief and custodianship of the Wandjina as a sacred spiritual force and the creator of the land. The iconic Wandjina can be seen in anthropological and artistic collections all over the world. In 2000, Worrorra cultural leader Donny Woolagoodja designed an enormous Namarali Wandjina for the spectacular Sydney Olympics opening ceremony, reinvigorating international interest in Wandjina iconography. The Worrorra, Ngarinyin and Wunambal people actively practice and transfer cultural knowledge through art making, song and dance. Their art studio is a place where young and old gather to create and inspire one another, building on a centuries-long history of artistic practice. We invite you to view the artworks from these iconic Kimberley artists and if you fall in love with more than one work from Waringarri or Mowanjum, we are offering a 10% discount on multiple purchases from the region, until the end of October. 

In our efforts to continue to support and promote the industry we love and the artists we work with during the pandemic, Short St Gallery are doing Artist Profiles and Community Spotlights regularly, often with a special promotion, so keep your eyes on our emails for that little bit of something special. Our current promotions include free shipping on Staff Picks and if you fall in love with more than one work from Waringarri or Mowanjum, we are offering a 10% discount on multiple purchases from the region, until the end of October. 
You can access our fun new View on a Wall option by clicking on an image and then selecting View on a Wall. You can contact us via email or phone for all enquiries, to arrange a live chat or have additional images sent to you. We will also be posting videos and still footage of the featured artworks on our social media accounts to bring a little bit of the joy of art to your lounge rooms.