12 IMPRINTvolume50number4

feature

Balnhdhurr – A Lasting ImpressionDenise Salvestro explores twenty years of remote printmaking at Yirrkala Print Space.

Dhalmula Burarrwanga, Milkarri,2012,photographicscreenprint,30x21cm,editionof8.CourtesyoftheartistandYirrkalaPrintSpace.

printcouncilofaustralia 13

feature

In2015thePrintSpaceattheBuku-LarrngayMulkaArtCentreintheYolngucommunityofYirrkalainNortheastArnhemLand,NT,iscelebratingtwentyyearsofcontinuousprintproduction.ThePrintSpacehasestablisheditselfasoneofthemostsuccessfulIndigenousowned-and-runprintstudiosinaremoteIndigenouscommunityhavingproducedover800editionsofprintscreatedby135artists,printedbylocallytrainedandemployedIndigenousprintmakers.Ithasdevelopedaworldwidereputation,exhibitingregularly,bothnationallyandinternationally. Yolnguusetheirarttopassonknowledgeoftheirhistory,cultureandlaw.Theclanspecificminy’tji–theintricatepatternswhicharepaintedwithnaturalochresontotorsosduringceremonyandonsacredartefactssuchasthelarrakitj(burialpole)–relatethejourneysandactivitiesoftheircreationancestors.Thislinktotheirancestorsestablishesaformoftitletolandidentifyingwhotheyare.FromtheearlytwentiethcenturywithgrowingoutsiderincursionintotheircountrytheYolnguincreasinglyusedtheirarttoeducatethestrangersabouttheircultureandtheirenduringrelationshipwithcountry.ThedynamicnatureoftheirartallowedtheYolngutoadapttheirpaintingandtoembraceintroducedmedia.In1947theyreproducedtheirstoriesusingcrayonsonpaperfortheanthropologistRonaldBerndtandinthe1970sYirrkalaartistswereintroducedtoprintmaking.Yolnguwereexposedtobasichand-printingonfabricandpaperatschoolworkshopsandin1979NarritjinandBanapanaMaymuruwerethefirstYirrkalaartiststobeintroducedtoetchingasArtistsinResidenceattheCanberraSchoolofArt. Intheearly1980s,SteveFox,themanagerattherecentlyestablishedYirrkalaArtCentre,encouragedprintmakingusingasimplehand-printedwoodblocktechnique.In1994Foxappliedforagrantforadedicatedprintworkshop.Followinghisdeparture,itwasestablishedin1995underthesupervisionofprintmakerBasilHallworkingwiththenewco-ordinatorsAndrewandDianneBlake,WillStubbs,andlocalartistsMarrnyulaandRerrkiwangaMununggurr.SinceitsinceptionthePrintSpacehasbeenaplacethatencouragesmembersofthecommunityofallagestocomeandexplorethemedium,providingthemwiththefacilitytoexperimentwithavarietyofprinttechniques–woodblock,linocut,screenprint,etching,collagraph,lithographyand,morerecently,digitaltechnologyandcombinationtechniques.Participantslearnnewtechniquesaton-siteworkshopsrunbyvisitingprintmakersoratoffsiteworkshopsandresidenciesatmajorteachinginstitutions. TraditionallyYolngupaintingwasmaledominated.Womenassistedtheirhusbandsandfatherswiththeirpaintings,orpaintedtheirowncarvedartefactsandwovenfibrebaskets.Theintroductionofprintmakinghasgivenwomenthefreedomtoexpressindividualcreativitywithouttheconstraintsthattraditionallylimitedtheirpainting.Intheearlydays,thePrintSpacewasconsideredthewomen’sdomainwiththemenmaintainingtraditionalpainting.However,themengraduallybecamemoreinterestedinexploringtheprintmediumandmanyofthemaleartistsarenowmoreinvolvedinprintmakingthanbarkpainting. Initiallytherewascontroversyaroundtheideaofamachinereproducingthecolouredclan-specificsacredminy’tji.TheArtistsCommitteeruledthattoconserveYolngutraditionandprotectintellectualproperty,miny’tjishouldonlybeproducedbyhandusingnaturalmaterials,andnotbymechanicalreproduction,declaringthatifYolnguare‘topaintthelandyoumustusetheland’.ArtCentreco-ordinatorWillStubbsexplainsthattheartistscircumventedtheissueofreproductionofsacreddesigninprintprimarilythroughtheuseofnon-traditionalcoloursandbyavoidingreproducingthedeeperlayersofminy’tji,whichcontainthe‘inside’orsacredmeaning.TheArtCentrewebsiteprovidesthefollowingexplanation:

Followingthedisciplineofminy'tji(sacreddesign)thedesignsusedinmakingtheseworksonpaperwith'foreign'mediaaredecorativeonlyandnotpermittedtoextendintoceremonialpatterns.Thisallowsartistsexpressivefreedomandtheopportunitytousebrightcoloursand'play'withimagerywithoutcompromisingtheirspiritualidentity.1

Withincreasingexposuretooutsideinfluencesandwiththeyoungergenerationofartistsoftenhavingreducedaccesstotraditionalculturalpractices,thesubjectmatterofmuchoftheworkproducedinthePrintSpacehastendedtobecomemoresecular,withthemesbasedoncontemporarylife.Whenclandesignsarebeingreproducedseniormembersofthecommunityarecalledupontosanctionthefinalimagebeforeprinting.

TheYolnguhaveincreasinglytakenadvantageoftheaccessibilityandmultiplicityofprintstokeepstrongtheircultureandassociationwithcountry.Printmakinghascometoplayanimportantroleinpassingonknowledgetotheyoungergenerationsandinpromotingsocialandpoliticalmessages.In1993MarrnyulaMunungurr,whowastobecomethefirstandlongestservinglocalartistprintmakerworkingatthePrintSpace,wascommissionedbytheNTDepartmentofHealthtoproducea‘safesex’postertoalertthelocalstotheriskofAIDSandothersexuallytransmitteddiseases.Theposter,LoveMeSafely,wassosuccessfulitwasreproducedinmanyformsandisstillusedtoday.In1999,GaymalaYunupingu(1935-2005)highlightedtheYolnguconcernwiththenegativeimpactofbauxiteminingontheircountrywithherNabalcoSuite–asetoffourmonoprintcollagraphsshowingthemineimpingingonsacredsitesanddisplacingthenativefloraandfauna.

top: Marrnyula Mununggurr, LoveMeSafely,2005,screenprint,64.5x54cm,editionof30.CourtesyoftheartistandYirrkalaPrintSpace.

above:YutaWorkshop,2012.Lefttoright:AnnieStudd,DhalmulaBurarrwanga,MamburraRaymond,RubyDjikarraAlderton,BawuGurruwiwi.CourtesyofYirrkalaPrintSpace.

14 IMPRINTvolume50number4

feature

Cross-culturalcollaborativeprintprojectshaveplayedanimportantroleinthesharingofcultureandknowledge.TheDjalkiri–WeAreStandingonTheirNamesproject(2010)wasinitiatedbyAngusandRoseCameronofNomadArtinDarwinwiththeobjectiveto‘juxtaposeWesternscientificviewpointsandknowledgewith[the]holisticperspectiveofYolngu.’AnthropologistProfessorHowardMorphy,printmakerBasilHall,ethnobotanistGlennWightmanandphotographerPeterEvefacilitatedworkshopsinwhichcelebratedAustralianartistsJudyWatson,FionaHall,JörgSchmeisserandJohnWolseleyjoinedYolnguartistsDjambawaMarawili,MarrirraMarawili,MarrnyulaMununggurr,MulkunWirrpandaandLiyawadayWirrpandaintheirremotehomelandofYilpara.Thisencounter,‘topromoteunderstandingandmutualrespect’,resultedinasuiteofprintsthatrevealedanappreciationofcountryfromdifferentperspectives.ItledtoanothercollaborativeinitiativebetweenMulkunWirrpandaandJohnWolseley. Fearingthattheknowledgeandvalueoftraditionalfoodsandgrasseswasbeingforgottenbytheyoungergeneration,Mulkunfeaturedmanyoftheendangeredspeciesinherwork.Wolseley,muchofwhoseworkfocusesontheenvironment,visitedthegaranggalifloodplainswithMulkunandwasprofoundlyaffectedbytheexperience:‘Formethegreatmiracleofthatmorningrestedinthatmomentoftime–

beingthere,seeingthelivinglandandsensingthe"deeptime"sointimatelylinkedwiththelifeandartofthepeoplewhohavelivedinitforsolong.’2Resultingfromthiscollaboration,MulkuncreatedtheMidawarrsuite–aseriesofwoodblockcarvingsofyukuwa(wildyam)andräkay(waterchestnut)onTasmaniaHuonpinewoodblocksprovidedbyWolseleywiththeaimofcapturingthewoodgrainintheimages.Furtheringthework’sconnectionwithcountry,thewoodblockswereprintedonpaperthatDarwin-basedartistWinsomeJoblinghandmadefromstringybarkandthenativegrasses. Socialissuesaffectingthelocalyouth,suchaslowself-esteem,substanceabuseandsuicidehavebeenaddressedincollaborationsbetweenthelocalschoolandthePrintSpace.Thefirstprojectin2010involvedagroupofgirlswhocreatedaseriesofcollagraphsthatwereenthusiasticallyreceivedwhenexhibitedatthatyear’sGapanGallery.Sosuccessfulwastheprojectatrestoringtheself-esteemofthoseinvolvedthatotherprojectssoonfollowed.TheobjectiveofTheYoungOnes,Ngarra(Iorme)project,overseenbylocalstudentRubyDjikarraAlderton(daughterofrenownedYolnguprintmakerBandukMarika)andvolunteerprintmakerAliciaScobie,wasto‘re-engagethedisengagedyouth’andincreasetheirself-esteemandprideintheirculture.Theparticipantsusedmoderntechnologyfamiliartothem–camerason

theirmobilephones–totakeself-portraits,whichwerethendigitallyenhancedandcombinedinalinocut.In2012AldertonandPrintSpaceadvisorAnnieStuddinstigatedasecondproject.ForYuta2itwassuggestedthattheyouthgoaroundthecommunityandphotographwhatwassignificanttothemandreflectedtheYirrkalatheyknew.PrintmakerSeanSmithfromTheOwnershipProject(TOP)inMelbournewasinvitedtorunascreenprintingworkshop.Theyoungparticipantsshowedsurprisingaptitudeforthecomplexprocessinvolvedinrealisingthescreenprints,whichwerecomposedofthedigitallymanipulatedimagescombinedwithhanddrawnillustrations.TheresultantserieswasexhibitedtogreatacclaimattheTOPgalleryinMelbourneandthentravelledtoHarveyArtProjectsinIdaho,USA.Revealingthedesiretokeepconnectedtofamilyandculture,DJMarikawroteabouthowhecameuponthesubjectforhisscreenprintMari:

Thisisaprintofmeandmymari(grandfather).ThephotoofhimisfromtheMulkaarchiveandItookaphotoofmyselflookinglikehedoesinthisoldphoto.Inhisphotoheisholdingraki(string)andinmyphotoIamlisteningtomymusic.Itlookslikeheisholdingmymusic.Idrewthebackgrounddesign.Ichosethecoloursandprinteditmyself.IlikehowtherakilinksmymariandmetogethereventhoughhelivedinthepastandIaminthepresent.

DJ Marika, Mari,2012,screenprint,21x30cm,editionof8.CourtesyoftheartistandYirrkalaPrintSpace.

printcouncilofaustralia 15

feature

Theseprojectsweresuccessfulingettingmanyyoungpeoplebacktoschool,enteringintoapprenticeshipsorseekingemployment,withsomeaskingiftheycouldstayonatthePrintSpace.TheArtCentrewasabletoemployfouroftheseyoungpeople,whocontinuetoexpandtheirprintingskillsandcreatetheirownartundertheguidanceofAnnieStuddandthemoreseniorYolnguprintmakers.Theyareseenasrolemodelsandmentorsforotheryoungmembersofthecommunity. Since2003artistshavehadtheopportunitytoshowcasetheirworkattheoutdoorGapanGalleryheldattheGarmaFestivalinAugusteachyear.Thethemeofthefestivalinspiresthesubjectmatterforthatyearandprovidestheopportunitytoexperimentwithnewtechniqueslearntatworkshopsrunbyvisitingprintmakers:JapanesewoodblockwithJacquelineGribbinin2007;softgroundetchingwithBasilHallandMerranSierakowskiin2008;andinnovativeetchingtechniqueswithCanadianprintmakerPaulMachnikin2013. Manyoftheartistshavewonprestigiousawards:NaminapuMaymuruWhitewontheinauguralWorksonPaperAwardatthe1996TelstraAwardswithNyapilinguWapitja,acolourreductionlinocuttriptychproducedincollaborationwithprintmakersTheoTremblayandBasilHall.NaminapuhaspassedonknowledgetohernieceNaminapuAraluenMaymuru,whotrainedasaprintmakerandactedasPrintSpacemanagerforseveralyears.Thesignatureimagesofgarak(sky)andgan’yu(stars)thatfeatureintheworkofmulti-awardwinningGulumbuYunupingu(1945-2012)inspiredtwoofherniecestoproduceascreenprintwhichwonapostercompetitiontocommemoratetheCentenaryofInternationalWomen’sDayin2011.ThesistersBulmirriandDhapanbalYunupingusoughtpermissionfromtheiraunttodigitallyincorporateanimageofheragainstabackgroundofhergarakandgan’yu’design. Theoldergenerationcontinuestoprovidetheknowledgeandguidancethatinspirestheyoungergenerationofartists,whointurnarerevealingintheirartworkawarenessoftheirinheritedresponsibilitiestorevealtotheworldtheirspiritualassociationwithcountry,theimportanceofcaringforcountry,andkeepingtheirpeopleandculturealiveandstrong. AretrospectiveexhibitionBalnhdhurr–ALastingImpressionopenedon7October2015attheTarnanthiFestivalofContemporaryAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderArtinAdelaide.Comprisingaselectionofninety-sixprintsfromthefirstwoodblocktothemostrecentetchings,itcelebratestwentyyearsofprintproductionandcommemoratesallwhohavecontributedovertheyears.InoneofAustralia’smostremoteareasaspacehasbeencreatedthathasallowedforcreativitytoflourishandprintmakingofahighstandardtobeconsistentlyproduced.ThisexhibitionistestimonytothatandprovidesanopportunitytosharetheseachievementswithawiderAustralianaudience.•

1. YirrkalaArtCentreWebsite,2012:www.yirrkala.com2. JohnWolseleyHeartlandsandHeadlandsexhibition,NGV,

Melbourne,April-September,2015:http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/wpcontent/uploads/2014/08/JohnWolseley_LABELS.pdf,Artworklabelsdocument,FromtheEdgeoftheGreatFloodPlainsofGarrangariandGarrangali,NT,p.18.

topNyapanyapa Yunupingu, HuntingDhawu,2001,

screenprint,47x39cm,editionof21.CourtesyoftheartistandYirrkalaPrintSpace.

Dhuwarrwarr Marika, Daymirri,1996,linocut,37x26cm,editionof50.

CourtesyoftheartistandYirrkalaPrintSpace.