The Late Mr. Wanambi

Mr Wanambi (18 May 1962 – 4 May 2022) was a senior Yolngu artist and advocate from Eastern Arnhem Land, a true visionary and cultural leader who combined a progressive worldview with a deep respect for tradition.

His earliest painted work was integral in staking legal claim to Aboriginal sea rights in Arnhem Land, and in 1998 he won the Bark Painting Award in the country’s most significant First Nations Australian art prize, Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.

He was a founding member and the cultural director of The Mulka Project, a unique centre for Yolngu cultural knowledge engaging with a collection of multimedia artists.

We were devastated following the passing of Mr Wanambi in May of 2022 in the lead up to a planned retrospective exhibition at Michael Reid Art Bar, and remain grateful to the entire team of Buku-Larrangay Mulka Centre, as well as Mr Wanambi’s family, for encouraging the show to continue. This final body of work was shared widely, with all pieces finding their way into public and private collections internationally.

You can explore the exhibition and publication below.

We are honoured to remain an avenue for collectors and curators to connect with the vast and unbreakable legacy of Mr Wanambi.