Garraparra (Bark Painting)

Narurapu Wununmurra was a well known and respected Northern Territory artist of the Dhalwangu clan of the Narrkala group. As part of the Yirritja moiety, Narurapu’s father was Yanggarriny Wunungmurra, a winner of the 1997 NATSIAA and the first Aboriginal artist to have his copyright recognised in an Australian court. From an early age, Narurapu assisted his father’s art work, and later began to practice in his own right. Hw was was involved in all major art projects in the Yirrkala art centre through the 1990s, and in 2004 he had his first solo show at GrantPirrie Gallery in Sydney. Narurapu is particularly well known for his sculptural and mixed media works depicting Mokuy figures; ghosts or sinister spirits of a deceased person. He has had sculptures acquired by the Queensland Art Gallery, and his 2010 mixed media work “Mokuy” won two first place prizes in the NATSIAA.