NT: Arnhem Land artist Gawirrin Gumana wins top award
DARWIN, Aug 9 AAP - Arnhem Land artist Gawirrin Gumana won Australia's most prestigiousindigenous art award today with a memorial pole.
Gumana, of Yirrkala in the north-east of the Northern Territory, won the $40,000 firstprize in National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA) with his workentitled Birrkuda Ringgitj.
The $4,000 bark painting award was won by John Mawurndjul, of Mumeka in the NT, forhis work titled Buluwana.
The $4,000 general painting award went to Christopher Pease, of Perth, for his worktitled Wadatji Country - Belief and Disbelief.
The NATSIAA award was founded by the Northern Territory's Museum and Art Gallery in1984, when indigenous art was just starting to gain recognition and popularity.
The ultimate aim of the award is to recognise the important contribution made by artistsnationally, and to promote a better appreciation and understanding of indigenous art,as it is diversely practised throughout Australia.
This year, the judges were Judith Ryan, senior curator of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, and Brook Andrew, a visual artist fromSydney who has previously entered the award.
Telstra has sponsored the award since 1992.
AAP rmg/tnf
KEYWORD: POLE
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