During the Vivid light festival happening in Sydney in June, several Aboriginal artists’ works will be projected onto the sales of the Opera House, including the Wandjina, by Donny Woolagoodja, a Worora elder from the Kimberley.
Donny is the custodian of the country of the Wandjina which is a creation ancestor. Donny was a finalist in the 1999 Telstra National Indigenous Art Award and won the WA State Images Art Award 2000. His work was a feature of the Sydney Olympic Games opening ceremony. Tali Gallery nominated him for the Sydney Peace Prize in 2014, for his work in protecting the extraordinary cultural heritage in the numerous rock paintings in the Eastern Kimberley region and educating people about his culture.
We have several small ochres, large original works on paper, and large fine art prints of Wandjina by Donny Woolagoodja and other artists (including Mabel King, Edna Dale, Kenneth Gibson and Leah Umbugai) from Mowanjum Art Centre in Derby the Kimberley. You’re welcome to call in to the gallery and learn more about this remarkable and very ancient figure, held in reverence to this day, following at least 17,500 proven years of existence, and possibly more than 40,000 years from the longest living continuous culture in the world today.
You can find them here: Kimberley Wandjina Artworks
