The youngest of the famous seven Yunupingu sisters, from the Gumatj clan in north-east Arnhem Land, Yolnju artist Dhopiya Yunupiŋu works on bark, ceramic vessels and larrakitj (memorial poles), referencing the long relationship between the Yolnju people and the Makassan seafarers from south-west Sulawesi, Indonesia. Central to her artwork and this exhibition is Galiku, a yellow fabric traditionally used to make sails and flags and still worn for ceremonial occasions today. By using the material, Yunupiŋu acknowledges the Makassans everlasting imprint on the economy and society of Yolŋu.
Dhopiya Yunupiŋu, Galiku, 2023, natural earth pigments on bark, 251.5 × 111cm. Courtesy the artist, Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, Northern Territory and Sulliuvan+Strumpf, Melbourne
Sullivan+Strumpf
15 February to 9 March 2024
Melbourne
