| Date of birth : c 1927 Language : Liyagalawumirr Clan : Birritjama Social Affiliations : Dhuwa moiety, Gamanydjan subsection |
Namiyal began to paint in the early 1990s after her second husband had a stroke and needed assistance with his paintings. From this initial introduction, Namiyal paints in a similar loose and free flowing style to her late husband, Tony Djikululu (1938-1992). Namiyal's quirky animals are filled with life. They often appear to be running across the surface, their eyes on the viewer as if looking behind at a pursuer. Her images are largely drawn from elements of the Wagilag Sisters creation story; her itchy caterpillars, bush foods and snakes are all elements of this story. Her country, Guruwana, is often painted in the minimalist sacred rocks design, or occasionally more pictorial elements of the story may be depicted. Among her favorite subjects are wayanaka (oyster beds), features of her rocky salt-water country east of Ramingining. Namiyal is also an accomplished fibre artist, her work being known for its bold colouration and form. SOLO SHOWS: 1991, Namiyal Bopirri, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne 1993, Namiyal Bopirri, Australian Girls Own Gallery, (aGOG), Canberra 2002, Namiyal Bopirri, Helen Maxwell Gallery, Braddon, ACT 2003, Namiyal Bopirri, Karen Brown Gallery, Darwin 2004, Guruwana: Paintings by Namiyal Bopirri, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Adelaide 2005, Namiyal Bopirri: First Melbourne Solo Show (sic), Indigenart, Carlton, Victoria 2006, Guruwana: An Exhibition of paintings on canvas and bark, dupun and weavings from Namiyal Bopirri, Indigenart, Perth 2006, Namiyal Bopirri Bark Paintings, Birrung Gallery, Sydney
Select Group Exhibitions: 1984, Buyu-Ramingining Weaving, Crafts Council, NT 1989, Ramingining, Gamununggu Miyalk, women painters, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs 1993, Yananda New Moon, Ivan Docherty Gallery, Sydney 1993, Namiyal Bopirri, Naminapu White, Australian Girls Own Gallery, (aGOG) Canberra 1994, Buyu Djama, Pandanus Weaving from Arnhem Land, Adelaide Fringe Festival, National Trust of South Australia 1994, Canvassing, 24 Hour Art, Darwin, NT 1994, Ramingining Weaving, Christine Abrahams Gallery, Richmond, Victoria 1994, Power of the Land, Masterpieces of Aboriginal Art, National Gallery of Victoria 1996, Bula’bula Arts, Ramingining, Anima Gallery, Adelaide 1996, A Selection of Prints, Drawings, Paintings and Carvings, aGOG, Canberra 1997, Ramingining Artists, Michel Sourgnes Gallery, Brisbane 1997, The Painters of the Wagilag Sisters Story 1937-1997, National Gallery, Canberra 1998, My Land, My Country, Michel Sourgnes Gallery, Brisbane 1998, New World Art Gallery, Hattem, The Netherlands 1998, Dreamings, Vlaams-Europeesch Conferentiecentrum, Brussels, Belgium 1999, Ramingining Artists Show, High on Art, Melbourne 1999, Under Southern Skies: Aboriginal and Western Perspectives of the Australian Night Sky, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA 1999, Geelong Print Prize, Geelong Art Gallery 2000, Ramingining Artists, Coo-ee Gallery, Sydney 2000, Fiona’s Choice Cuts, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA 2000, Yolngu Science: Objects and Representations from Ramingining, MCA, Sydney 2000, Ramingining, Bula'bula, Robert Steele Gallery, New York, USA 2001, The Native Born: Objects and Representations from Ramingining, Sprengel Museum, Hannover 2002, Ramingining, Arte aborigen australiano de la Tierra de Arnhem, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid 2002, The Native Born: Objects and Representations from Ramingining, Palacio de Velazquez, Parque del Retiro, Madrid 2002, Water Country, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA 2002, A Taste of Aboriginal Art, Robert Steele Gallery, New York, USA 2003, Out of the Dilly Bag, Bright!, St Kilda, Victoria 2003, Guridji Djama, Thornquest Gallery, Southport 2003, Forms in Fibre, William Mora Galleries, Melbourne 2003, The Native Born: Contemporary Aboriginal Art from Ramingining, Australia, Asia Society Museum, New York, USA 2003, Bula’bula Arts at the Virginia Fringe Film Festival, Virginia, USA 2003, The Native Born: Contemporary Aboriginal Art from Ramingining, Australia, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Taipei, Taiwan 2004, Buyu: Weaving from Ramingining, Budds Beach Gallery, Surfers Paradise 2004, Artists from Ramingining, Framed Gallery, Darwin 2004, Dupun, Djalumbu, Badurru-Hollow Logs from Ramingining, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne 2004, Ramingining Rom: Paintings and Objects from Bulabula Arts Aboriginal Corporation, Central Arnhem Land, Fremantle Arts Centre, Western Australia 2004, Bulabula Artists Mala, Bandigan Arts, Sydney 2004, Milan Craft Fair: L’artigiano in Fierra, Italy 2005, Yaku Yindi: Big Names from Ramingining, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney 2005, Pandanus to Paper, Northern Editions, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 2005, Guruwana: Paintings by Namiyal Bopirri, Indigenart, Melbourne 2005, Pandanus to Paper: weavings and prints from Bula’bula Arts, Northern Editions, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 2006, Australian Aboriginal Art, Robert Steele Gallery, New York, USA 2006, L’Espirit de la Terre d’Arnhem Art Aborigene du Nord de L’Australie: La Collection d’Arnaud Serval, Passage de Retz, Paris 2006, Ramingining, Bett Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania 2006, Gunga Dhawu (Pandanus story), Territory Craft, Darwin 2007, Bula'bula Arts: The Next Generation, Australia Dreaming Art, Melbourne 2007, Bark Paintings from Bula'bula Arts, Ramingining, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney 2007, Dupun, Bett Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania 2007, Palya Art In Melbourne, (Helen Read), Kew, Vic
Publications: Bulabula Arts, 1993, Namiyal Bopirri, exhib. cat. for solo aGOG exhibition. Caruana, Wally and Lendon Nigel, 1997, The Painters of the Wagilag Sisters Story 1937-1997, National Gallery of Australia. Hanby, L., 1993, 'Buyu Djama,' Periphery 17, 22-23. Kleinert, Sylvia & Neale, Margo, 2000, The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture, Oxford University Press, Australia Mundine, Djon, 2001, The Native Born: Objects and Representations from Ramingining, Arnhem Land, MCA & Bula’bula Arts Commissions: 1989/90, John Kluge, Painting Their Land Commission, USA 1993, Artists Fellowship Grant from Australia Council. 1993, Arthouse Flowers Art Prize, first place, Cooma, NSW Copyright Bula’bula Arts Aboriginal Corporation This document may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Bula’bula Arts Aboriginal Corporation
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