Nonggirrnga Marawili

Nonggirrnga Marawili is one of the most highly regarded artists at Buku Larrnggay Mulka, Yirrkala, in the Northern Territory.

Marawili draws inspiration for her artistic practice from her familial ties. She paints the cross-hatched motifs from the Djapu clan of her late husband, artist and statesman D. Mununggurr, the designs of her mother's Galpu clan, as well as those belonging to her own Madarrpa clan.

Will Stubbs, co-ordinator at Buku Larrnggay Mulka, Yirrkala, provides further insight into the striking patterns contained in Marawili's artwork:

The patterns made by a person who lives organically and not mechanically. This is what attracts us to Nonggirrnga's work. She paints like a plant grows. There are no straight lines even where that is all that the design consists of. A grid-like pattern that is the interwoven branches of the young saplings in the fish barrier at Wanda cannot be drawn using a ruler. If a Western artist was to draw so freely it would be after 'unlearning' their programming.

© Nonggirrnga Marawili and Buku Larrnggay Mulka, Yirrkala