Those birds other people call bowerbirds (Great Bowerbird, Chlamydera nuchalis), we call them “djuwe”. If we go hunting somewhere in the savannah forest we see their bowers. They get grass and small dead branches to make their bowers. And they go collecting many bits and pieces from the ground and bring them back to decorate their bowers. The Great Bowerbird prefers to collect white and green objects like sun-bleached native snail shells.

Ngahli mayhmayh kangeyo Djuwe birrikukbele kabirringeybun bower-bird. Bu karrire baleh kore manberrk karriwarlbun karrirednan djuwe karedmarnbun kamang kundalk dja manyahyay kundulk. Dja kare kamoyhmang yehyeng nawern karrurndiwe rowk kakurrmekurrme kore kunred nuye karedmarnbun.

Size 20 x 30 cm | Medium Paper | Catalogue # 2030-22 | Year 2022

Artist  Joe Guymala

Joe Guymala lives and works in Gunbalanya. He frequently spends time Manmoyi, his outstation in Western Arnhemland and is the grandson of Namerredje (John) Guymala. He has toured nationally as a musican with Nabarlek Band and Mimih Band and helped to write many songs with his knowledge of traditional stories and country. Guymala’s work is often playful and documents his contemporary day to day life out bush, he also acknowledges his forefathers paintings in the rock shelters of Arnhemland as a great source of inspiration. Joe works exclusively in natural ochre’s using ‘Manyilk’ a thin grass brush to apply line after line, layer after layer to create his very powerful and unique compositions.

In January 2020, Joe Guymala went on a residency at the Kluge Ruhe Collection in Virginia and opened two exhibitions in the town.

further details

Size 20 x 30 cm
Medium  Paper
Catalogue # 2030-22
Year 2022