Joe Guymala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Guymala
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| Born | 1969 Manmoyi, Northern Territory, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Organization | Injalak Arts |
| Known for | Bark painting, lorrkon, |
| Relatives | Namerredje Guymala (grandfather) |
Joe Guymala, born in 1969, is an amazing Aboriginal Australian artist and musician. He belongs to the Burdoh clan of the Kunwinjku people. Joe is famous for his beautiful paintings on bark and paper. He also creates special memorial poles called lorrkkon.
Contents
Early Life and Talents
Joe Guymala was born in 1969. His birthplace was Manmoyi outstation. This place is about 100 miles (160 km) east of Gunbalanya. Gunbalanya is in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Music and Other Work
Joe is a very talented musician. He traveled all over Australia with two bands. These bands were called Mimih and Nabarlek. After his music tours, he started painting. Joe wrote many songs about traditional stories. He also sang about his home country. Besides music, Joe worked as a Warddeken Ranger. In this job, he helped control wild animals. He also protected ancient rock art sites. Joe managed controlled burns to care for the land.
Joe Guymala's Art Career
Joe Guymala started painting in 2010. His grandfather, Namerredje Guymala, inspired him. His grandfather also painted on bark and rock shelters. Joe's first paintings looked like traditional Kunwinjku art. They used a mix of rarrk (cross-hatching) and rock-art styles. He painted kangaroos, fish, crows, and mimihs.
Developing His Unique Style
Soon, Joe began trying new things. He created his own way of using single-line rarrk. He used natural, unrefined ochre paints. Joe has become a master at painting with manyilk. This is a very thin sedge brush. He uses it to add many lines and layers to his art. Joe's artwork often shows his daily life in the bush. He mostly paints for Injalak Arts in Gunbalanya.
Time at the University of Virginia
In January 2020, Joe Guymala visited Charlottesville, Virginia. He went there for two art shows. One show was The Inside World at The Fralin Museum of Art. The other was Munguyhmunguyh (Forever). This show was put together by the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection.
Exploring Art and Performing
While there, Joe saw his grandfather's art. These works were part of the Kluge-Ruhe collection. At the University of Virginia, Joe made his first special print. He worked with a printmaking expert, Akemi Ohira. Together, they made a linoprint on mulberry paper. Joe also performed his songs on the radio station WTJU. He gave live performances at The Fralin Museum of Art.
Art Collections
Joe Guymala's artwork is held in important collections:
- Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia
- Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Important Art Exhibitions
Joe Guymala's art has been shown in many exhibitions:
- 2016: Rising Stars. Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT.
- 2017: Salon des Refusés. Charles Darwin University Art Gallery, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT.
- 2018: Joe Guymala is in the Building. Provenance Arts. Darwin, NT.
- 2018: The 35th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT.
- 2019-2020: The Inside World: Contemporary Aboriginal Australian Memorial Poles. Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, NV; Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit, MI; The Fralin Museum of Art, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA; Frost Art Museum, Florida International University, Miami, FL.
- 2020: Munguyhmunguyh (Forever): Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the John W. Kluge Injalak Commission. The Upper West Oval Room of The Rotunda at the University of Virginia.
- 2021: Mankerrnge Bim (New Paintings), 9-30 October, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, UK.
