James Iyuna (1959-2012), bark painter, was one of four brothers who grew up at Mumeka, an isolated outstation situated on the Mann River in the Arnhem Land escarpment stretching along the southern extremity of Arnhem Land from Kakadu to Maningrida. Their father, a fishtrap maker, did not paint either on rock or bark, but taught them to make nets; their uncle, the prominent bark painter Peter Marralwanga, taught the brothers bark painting techniques. All four, but particularly John Mawurndjul, subsequently achieved fame as bark painters. Like Mawurndjul’s, James Iyuma’s intricately crosshatched works frequently feature Ngalyod, the rainbow serpent that guards sacred sites. Iyuna’s work featured in the major Art Gallery of New South Wales exhibition Crossing Country: the alchemy of western Arnhem Land art in 2004. With his wife Melba Gunjarrwanga, also an artist, Iyuna made a public artwork drawing on his knowledge of fishnet weaving for the Darwin Entertainment Centre in 2007.
Martin van der Wal called his series of photographs of Aboriginal artists Big Shots, referring both to the photographs themselves, and to the preeminence of his subjects.
Purchased 2005
© Martin van der Wal
The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the
Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a
Reproduction request. For further information please contact
NPG Copyright.
