Title: Mangrove (gathul)

Artist: Mulkun Wirrpanda

Artwork Size: 29 x 39cm (image), 60 x 50cm (paper)

Artwork medium: Etching

Born: c. 1942

Clan: Dhuḏi-Djapu, Dha-malamirr

Moiety: Dhuwa

Homeland: Dhuruputjpi

Art Centre: Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre

Printed: Yirrkala Print Space and Sean Richard Smith

About:

In 2018, inspired by Dr Bentley James' book Maypal, Mayali' ga Wäŋa (shellfish, meaning & place) Mulkun began to paint the essence of shellfish she has grown up with. She achieves this by painting the species as she knows them in their naturalistic form without reference to their sacred identity. This follows a similar phase where the artist of her own motion explored lesser known plant species which she feared were being forgotten by younger generations.

The structure of the print shows the mangrove leaves that you see when moving through the gathul or giraburra (mangrove forest).