Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 18

Contemporary Aboriginal Art on Bark by Gunybi Ganambarr Provenance

$18,000per item
£13,633.33per item
€15,657.41per item
CA$25,223.89per item
A$27,423.45per item
CHF 14,539.94per item
MX$328,737.64per item
NOK 184,795.24per item
SEK 169,297.56per item
DKK 117,019.30per item
Quantity

About the Item

Artist: Gunybi Ganambarr (Aboriginal Australian; 1973 -) Title: Baraltja Year of creation: 2009 Medium: natural earth pigment and carving on stringy bark Provenance: Painted for Buku-Larrnggay Arts, Yirrkala, Northern Territory Purchased from Annandale Galleries, Sydney, Cat No. 3604M Document: Buku-Larrnggay Art Center Label verso as shown. Original correspondence with Annandale Galleries and receipt for shipping. Reference: Compared to a similar work Lot 52 recently sold by Bonham (12/02/2025) The Sarick Collection of Aboriginal Art. A landmark bark by one of Buku-Larrnggay art's leading innovators, Baraltja was included in the artist’s solo exhibition at Annandale Galleries, Syndey in Oct-Nov 2009. The exhibition was reviewed by the art critic John McDonald in The Sydney Morning Herald, where he described Gunybi as an innovator of most extraordinary ability. The work, earth pigment and incision on stringy bark, radiates from a central void in finely carved, concentric bands. Ganambarr pioneered the technique of incising the bark surface, cutting through fields of pigment to release shimmering optical rhythms that suggest water movement and the pulse of Country. The work's scale and shaped edges heighten its physical presence, while the disciplined carving and restrained palette speak to the artist's precision and authority. The work has been professionally mounted as shown and ready for display. Artist's Biography (Courtesy of Annandale Galleries) "GUNYBI GANAMBARR has mainly lived and worked as an artist at Gängan, sometimes based at Dhuruputjpi or Yilpara. A ceremonial yidaki player who is sought after by elders. Accompanied the Yolngu delegations to the opening of the National Museum in Canberra 2001 and the larrakitj installation at the Sydney Opera House 2002 and played at the opening of Djambawa Marawili's exhibition in the 2006 Sydney Biennale. He spent twelve years working as a builder for the Laynhapuy Homelands Association making houses in overten homeland centres. He eventually moved back to his mother's homeland at Gangan. Under the tutelage of artists like Gawirrin Gumana and Yumutjin Wunungmurra from his mother's Dhalwangu clan whilst living on their country he has now assumed ceremonial authority. Gunybi Ganambarr first came to the notice of the Buku-Larrnggay staff as an artist with a carved and painted Ironwood sculpture of a Wurran or cormorant (a totemic species of his mother clan) in 2002. The wood's natural shape suggested itself to him and he commenced to reveal the bird within. He then added pigment to novel and still entirely consistent with Yolngu madayin (law). His first recognition in a wider sphere was when he was invited by Brenda Croft of the National Gallery of Australia to enter the National Sculpture Prize in 2005. He submitted one of his first sculpted larrakitj. In the year of 2008 he was chosen as an exhibiting finalist in the Xstrata Coal Emerging Indigenous Artist Award at the Gallery of Modern Art at Queensland Art Gallery. He went on to win that Award. Gunybi has had the instinct to introduce radical new forms without offending community tolerance. He has introduced or developed novel forms such as double-sided barks, heavily sculpted poles, incised barks, ironwood sculpture, inserting sculptures into poles. Gunybi is an energetic participant in ceremonial life who is always cheerful with a robust sense of humour. He is a natural leader amongst his peers. His vigorous zest for life sees him throw himself into whatever activity he is engaged in. He is married to Lamangirra Marawili a daughter of Djambawa Marawili. After his sold-out show at Annandale Galleries in Sydney in late 2009 where he received great acclaim and press coverage he returned home with a renewed vigour. He immediately moved into using found materials on his own initiative and with the blessing of his mentors. In 2011 Gunybi won the West Australian Indigenous Art Award. At this time The Australian wrote, "When Ganambarr was a young man, senior Yolngu artists recognized his ability and ensured he had the skills and knowledge to create the extraordinary bark paintings on show. These wonderfully complex and technically brilliant barks sit alongside new works that exploit the potential of materials found around mining sites. Using the layered webs of lines fundamental to traditional Yolngu painting and the incising of lines that characterizes Yolngu carving, he has reclaimed the insulation panels and rubber belts discarded by miners and transformed them into panels that combine traditional image-making with an enhanced sense of visual depth and tangible space. Ganambarr's work epitomizes the innovative and exploratory nature of contemporary Aboriginal arts practice and not surprisingly the judges awarded him the $50,000 main prize.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 92 in (233.68 cm)Width: 28 in (71.12 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
  • Style:
    Modern (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    2009
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minute pigment crackle lines naturally occurred with time.
  • Seller Location:
    Atlanta, GA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU945047702002

More From This Seller

View All
Australian Aboriginal Painting on Hollow Log
Located in Atlanta, GA
Lorrkon hollow log. Artist: Bronwyn Kelly. Year of birth: 1974. Nationality: Australian. Region: West Central Arnhem Land. Language group: Kuninjku. M...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Australian Tribal Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Australian Aboriginal Painting on Hollow Log
Located in Atlanta, GA
Yalatai hollow log. Artist: Binguur Wirrpanda. Year of birth: 1973. Nationality: Australian. Region: East Arnhem Land. Medium: Ochres on hollow log. M...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Australian Tribal Outsider and Self Taught...

Materials

Wood

Large Abstract Dreamtime Aboriginal Painting by Yukultji Napangati
Located in Atlanta, GA
Title: Tali-Sandhills Artist: Yukultji Napangat (1970s-) Medium: Acrylic on canvas Painted in early 2023. Provenance: Comes with Certificate of Authenticity from the Australia Dream ...
Category

2010s Australian Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Australian Aboriginal Painting Tjukurla Country Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa
Located in Atlanta, GA
A stunning abstract painting by Australian Aboriginal artist Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa (also known as Mrs. Bennett; 1935-2013). Entitled "Tjukurla Country", this work was acrylic on Be...
Category

Early 2000s Australian Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Aboriginal Painting on Hollow Log
By Hamish Karrkarrhba
Located in Atlanta, GA
Artist: Hamish Karrkarrhba. Year of birth: 1968. Nationality: Australian. Region: West Central Arnhem Land. Language group: Kuninjku. Medium: Wood and ochre paint. Measurement:...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Australian Tribal Outsider and Self Taught...

Materials

Wood

Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Painting by Kenny Williams Tjampitjinpa
Located in Atlanta, GA
Entitled "Two Kuniya (Pythons) During Tingari Cycle", this mesmerizing painting was painted by Australian aboriginal artist Kenny Williams Tjampitjinpa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Australian Modern Paintings

Materials

Linen, Acrylic

You May Also Like

Robin Nganjmirra Australian Indigenous Aboriginal Art Original Bark Painting
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful, unique, very engaging original indigenous Australian Aboriginal dreaming painting by Northern Territory artist Robin Marrwurduwurdu (Lamilami) Nganjmirra (1951-1991 or 1...
Category

20th Century Australian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paint

Aboriginal Desert Shield Red Pigment Fine Incised Lines Australia on Stand
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early to mid-20th century Aboriginal Desert Shield of lightweight wood with finely incised carved vertical lines on front and back, encrusted red pigment, simple curved oval shape, b...
Category

Mid-20th Century Australian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Organic Material

Painting from a Kwoma Ceremonial House Ceiling
Located in Chicago, IL
A painting from a Kwoma ceremonial house ceiling depicting an abstract polychrome pattern on a sago palm spathe. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art: "...
Category

Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Paintings

Materials

Natural Fiber

Australian Indigenous Aboriginal Art Wandjina Spirit Figure Bark Painting
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful, unique, and very engaging original indigenous Australian Aboriginal painting featuring a Wandjina figure. The painting is made with natural earth pigments which are han...
Category

20th Century Australian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paint

Tribal Aboriginal Australian Ritual Sculpture
Located in Point Richmond, CA
A rare example of a Churinga with the ritual painting not having been removed.
Category

Early 20th Century Australian Tribal Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Wood

David Malangi Daymirringu Australian Indigenous Aboriginal Art Bark Painting
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful, unique, relatively large, very engaging original indigenous Australian Aboriginal dreaming painting by Northern Territory Yolngu artist David Malangi (1927-1999. He is ...
Category

20th Century Australian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paint