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 1969) is an Aboriginal Australian artist and musician. He belongs to the Burdoh clan of the Kunwinjku people. Joe is famous for his paintings on bark, paper, and special memorial poles called lorrkkon.
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Joe Guymala's Early Life and Talents
Joe Guymala was born in 1969. His birthplace was Manmoyi outstation in the Northern Territory of Australia. This place is about 160 kilometers (100 miles) east of Gunbalanya.
Joe is a very talented musician. He traveled all over Australia with two bands, Mimih and Nabarlek. He wrote many songs about traditional stories and his homeland. Before becoming a painter, Joe also worked as a Warddeken Ranger. In this job, he helped control wild animals. He also protected ancient rock art sites. Plus, he managed special "controlled burns" of the land. These burns help keep the country healthy.
Becoming a Painter
Joe Guymala started painting in 2010. His grandfather, Namerredje Guymala, was a big influence. His grandfather painted on bark and rock shelters. Joe's first paintings looked like traditional Kunwinjku art. They used a style called rarrk, which is a type of cross-hatching. He also used rock-art styles. His early works showed animals like kangaroos and fish, and also crows and mimihs (spirit figures).
Soon, Joe began trying new things. He created his own way of using single-line rarrk. He used natural, unrefined ochres (earth pigments). Joe is very skilled at painting with manyilk. This is a thin sedge brush. He uses it to add many layers of lines to his art. Joe's art often shows his daily life in the Australian bush. He mostly paints for Injalak Arts in Gunbalanya.
Art on Display in the USA
In January 2020, Joe Guymala traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia, in the United States. He went for the opening of two art shows. One was called 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.
While there, Joe saw paintings by his own grandfather in the Kluge-Ruhe collection. During his time at the University of Virginia, Joe made his first limited-edition print. He worked with a master printer to create a linoprint on special paper. He also performed his songs on a radio station and at The Fralin Museum of Art.
Where His Art Can Be Seen
Joe Guymala's art is part of important collections:
- Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia
- Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Important Art Shows
Joe Guymala's work has been shown in many significant 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
- Mankerrnge Bim (New Paintings), 9-30 October 2021, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, UK.
