User:Gaston 1026/Peter Nabarlambarl

Peter Nabarlambarl - Artist

Biography
Peter Nabarlambarl was a senior, Kunwinjku artist in Arnhem Land. He was a respected cultural guide and mentor, assisting anthropologists visiting rock art and sacred sites on his traditional country at Injalak hill at Oenpelli with its rock art and caves. Peter was taught to paint by his father and grandfather in the traditional styles which can be seen in the rock art in the region.

Peter was the winner of the Work On Paper Award in the 17th Telstra Aboriginal Art Awards in 2000. -Aboriginal Dream

Paintings like the Sugar Bag Man Dreaming, Mimi spirits, Barramundi Dreaming and Sacred Rock-Keeper Dreaming, are typical of Peter Nabarlambarl’s work. He paints using the traditionally rarrk-cross hatching technique, or x-ray style, typical of the Gunbalanya artists of western Arnhem Land.

His work has a whimsical quality and the spirits that he depicts have all metamorphosed into rocks at important sites in the artist’s country. His work also successfully crosses over into the print medium without losing any of its traditional qualities.

Since 1982 Peter has exhibited all over Australia, including in the 1994 Power of the Land: Masterpieces of Aboriginal Art exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria; as well as in several exhibitions in the USA.

Biography courtesy of The Australian Art Print Network, 2001.

© Australianprints

Born:  1930 - Oenpelli, West Arnhem Land, Australia

Died:   2001 - Oenpelli, West Arnhem Land, Australia

Known for:  Aboriginal metamorphical spirit painting

Collections

 * Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia
 * National Gallery of Australia
 * National Gallery of Victoria
 * Victoria and Albert Museum of Art and Design

Significant exhibitions

 * 1982, Aboriginal Art at the Top, Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin
 * 1990, Keepers of the Secrets, Aboriginal Art from Arnhem Land, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth.
 * 1992, The Ninth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin
 * 1994, Power of the Land Masterpieces of Aboriginal Art, National Gallery of Victoria
 * 1997, Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
 * 2000, Australian Heritage Commission's 5th National Indigenous Art Award
 * 2000, Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin
 * 2020, Munguyhmunguyh (Forever): Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the John W. Kluge Injalak Commission, The Upper West Oval Room of The Rotunda at the University of Virginia