Design and Art Australia Online

Biography

Djon Mundine is a member of the Bandjalung people of northern New South Wales. Djon has an extended career as a curator, activist, writer, and occasional artist and is reknown as the concept curator for the Aboriginal Memorial installation permanently exhibited at the National Gallery of Australia. Djon was awarded an OAM in 1993 and was Research Professor at Minpaku Museum of Ethnology in Osaka over 2005-2006. He is currently Indigenous Curator-Contemporary Art at the Campbelltown Art Centre.
All Aboriginal art
DJON MUNDINE O.A.M.

Formerly known as John Mundine

Bandjalung People - N.S.W.

D.O.B.: 15/04/51
birthplace: Grafton N.S.W.
Age: 56 [2007]

Postal Address:
12 Burford St Minto
telephone: 02 96035290
mobile: 0419690776
email: bandjalungboy@hotmail.com
djon.mundine@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT

Indigenous Curator – Contemporary Art
Campbelltown Arts Centre
Campbelltown, New South Wales
Australia

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

2005/2006 Research Professor, Department of Social Research Minpaku National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan
2004/2005 Senior Consultant Curator Indigenous Art, Queensland Art Gallery
2004 Teacher Australian Indigenous Art, Art Theory Dept, The National Art School, Canberra, ACT
2003 Teacher Australian Indigenous Art, Art Theory Dept, The National Art School, Canberra, ACT
2002/2003/2004 Visiting Indigenous Research Fellow, CCR, ANU, Canberra, ACT
2002 Teacher Australian Indigenous Art, Art Theory Dept, The National Art School, Canberra, ACT
2001 Aboriginal Art History teacher, Goulburn TAFE, Queanbeyan Campus.
1997/2000 Senior Curator, Gallery of Aboriginal Australia, National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT
1996/1997 Senior Curator, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Programs, Museum of Contemporary Art, in Sydney.
1983-1993 Curator in the Field-Aboriginal Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Adjunct Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
1983-1995 Art Adviser Ramingining, N.T.
1982 Art Adviser, Maningrida, N.T. (mid to end of 1982)
1982 Tour Manager, Aborigines Woomera, Mornington Islanders Dance Group) for the Adelaide Arts Festival Tour (March and April)
1981-1982 Art Adviser, Ramingining, N.T. (mid 1981 to mid 1982)
1979-1981 Art Adviser, Milingimbi, N.T. (1979 to mid 1981)
1976/1977/1978 Operations Manager, Aboriginal Arts & Crafts Pty. Ltd., Sydney
1973-1975 Various service (bar/waiting) and labouring positions
1971-1972 Sales Clerk

AWARDS/BOARDS/REPRESENTATION

2001 “Aboriginal Contemporary Art,” [lecture] Ecole de Beaux artes Paris, France
Touring Curator, Seasons of the Kunwinjku exhibition, Papua New Guinea Museum and Art Gallery, PNG, Deptartment of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Canberra
2000 Contemporary Aboriginal Art, An Overview, Sainsbury Institute for Contemporary Art Research, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England
Contemporary Aboriginal Art, An Overview, University of West Virginia, U.S.A.
Co-Judge [with Dr Brian Kennedy, NGA Director] The Art of Place: The 5th National Indigenous Heritage Art Awards, The Deptartment of Heritage and Environment, Canberra, ACT
Member, Australian Delegation, 6th Festival of Pacific Arts, Biennale of Contemporary Art, Noumea, New Caledonia/Kanaki
1985-2000 Research Committee-Visual Arts, Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Acton, A.C.T.
1999 Panel Member, Australian Edition, Bouillon de Culture [Cultural Brew] Bernard Pivot, compere, France 2, TV
Art Forum, accompanying the opening Spirit Country [exhibition], The Gantner Myer Collection of Aboriginal Art, The Legion of Honour Museum, San Francisco
1998 Co-judge, The Kate Challis RAKA Award, with Dr.Gaye Sculthorpe, Prof. Chris Wallace Crabbe, and Mr. John Smith [Prof. Bernhardt Smith's son], sponsored by a Prof. Bernhard Smith bequest to the Australia Centre of the University of Melbourne and hung at the Ian Potter Museum of Art.
Executive Member, Australian Indigenous Cultural Network, a project of the Australia Foundation for Culture and the Arts
1991/1997/1998 Executive Member, NIAAA National Indigenous Arts Association, (previously A.A.M.A., Aboriginal Arts Management Agency)
1997 Touring Curator, Seasons of the Kunwinjku exhibition, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Deptartment of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Canberra
1995/1997 Special Adviser, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
1996 Indigenous Reference Group, Intellectual Property Protection for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Commonwealth Inter-Departmental Committee
Expert Examiner, National Cultural Heritage Committee, Deptartment of Communication and the Arts under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986
Co-Judge [with artist Ron Hurley], Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the N.T., Darwin
1992/1995/1996 Committee Member, A.T.S.I.C. Cultural Industry Advisory Committee (CIAC)
1995 Australia on CD Program, A Federal Government Multi-Media Initiative, Department of Communication and the Arts (DoCA), Canberra
Electronic Storylines Workshop, Doors of Perception 3 ON MATTER INFO/ECO, The Netherlands Design Institute, Amsterdam, Holland in association with the Society for Old and New Media, in collaboration with the Domus Academy, Milan, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and the Royal College of Art, London
1995 Order of Australia, Medal for services to the visual arts
1993 Curator, Botany Council Aboriginal Art Award, Botany, Sydney, N.S.W.
1989 Member, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Arts Committee of the Australia Council.
1988 Judge, Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the N.T., Darwin
‘Dreamings’ Exhibition Forum, Asia Society Gallery, New York
1987 Founding and Executive Member, Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Land Australian Aboriginal Artists (A.N.K.A.A.A.)
1985-1987 Aboriginal Art Adviser, Art Bank
1985-1987 Director, Aboriginal Arts Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney

EXHIBITIONS' CURATOR AND/OR CO-CURATOR AND/OR ASSISTANT CURATOR

2004 BLAK INSIGHTS, Contemporary Indigenous Art from the Collection of the Queensland Art Gallery Collection, Queensland Art Gallery, with Avril Quaill, and Dianne Moon.
25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar, June - Saturday 5th, University Seminar House, City of Hachi-ohji in the outer suburbs of Tokyo for The 25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar; organised by The Board of the 25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar; sponsored by Australian Embassy, M.L.A., and Japan-Australia and N. Z. Association.
1. Three-hour presentation, ‘Recent Australian Aboriginal Cultural Expression’ with the assistance of an interpreter to a mixed group of 25 [twenty five] English language university students/Australian History Students/International Relations Students.
2. Attend the speech by Australian Cultural Attaché on the Australia-Japan relationship
3. Attend the joint dinner of all participants sponsored by AUSSIE [Meat & Livestock Australia]
25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar, Tuesday 8th, three- hour Australian Indigenous Art and History lecture to 50-60 Students [Graduate and Post-graduate] of Human Geography, Art History, and History Faculties of Osaka University with the use of an interpreter.
25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar, Wednesday 9th, lecture on Contemporary Aboriginal Culture and Arts [90minutes] to 25 [twenty five] Professional Anthropologists staff of Minpaku National Museum of Ethnology [Osaka], for The 172nd Joint Seminar of National Museum of Ethnology
25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar, Friday 11th, Aboriginal Culture and Art Lecture at Sonada University for Japanese-Oceania Society for Cultural Exchange [50 people], Director: Nobuhiro Ichitani
25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar, Saturday 12th, lecture [60minutes] for the National Conference of Australian Studies Association of Japan sponsored by Australia-Japan Foundation at Minpaku National Museum of Ethnology [Osaka] followed by question/discussion [50 people].
25th Japan-Australia Joint Seminar, Sunday 13th, National Conference of Australian Studies Association of Japan sponsored by Australia-Japan Foundation [30 people]. View and personally critique three [3] previously unseen anthropological films [to give an Aboriginal perspective]:
1. A Morning Star ceremony in the mid 1980s at Gamedi outstation in central Arnhem Land.
2. A 1990s study of ‘stolen generation’ Eva Wilson’s use of anthropologist Norman Tindale’s records at the South Australian Museum, Adelaide, to trace her family history.
3. A 2000 film on the growing numbers of Japanese didjeridu players.
2003 Fields exhibition [Roy Wiggan, Ken Thaiday, Fiona Foley, Micky Durrng], co-curator with Dianne Moon, the Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane
Consultant, “Aw – Story Place, The people of West Cape York,” catalogue essay for Story Place, Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest, Ian Were, Senior Editor, Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, July, 2003.
1999 Co-curator with Anthony 'Ace' Bourke, Gapu Minytji, Bark Paintings from Yirrkala exhibition and artist’s collaboration, Terry Marawili + Kathy Lunpu – Australia, Singh and Burri Bhai – India, National Craft Museum of India, New Delhi, India.
1998 Margaret 'Robyn' Djunginy, Elizabeth Djutarra, and Jimmy Wululu, The Every Day, Biennal of Sydney, Sydney, Sept. 1998
1997 The Eye of Storm, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney and Heide Museum of Modern Art, Heide, Melbourne, The Andreas Avery Collection of Aboriginal Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
Tiwi Prints, a commemorative exhibition, The Festival of the Dreaming [Sydney Olympics Cultural Program], Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, September 1997
Native Title, Bark Paintings from Yirrkala, The Festival of the Dreaming [Sydney Olympics Program], Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, September 1997
The Painters of the Wagilag Sisters Story, co-curated with Wally Caruana, Albert Djiwada and Nigel Lendon, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT, Sept. 1997
1996 The Eye of the Storm: Eight Contemporary Indigenous Australian Artists, curated with Wally Caruana, Sue Jenkins, Avril Quaill, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra + National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
1995 David Malangi in Power Works From the MCA Collection, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ, Waikato Museum of Art and History, Hamilton, NZ ,Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, NZ
Jimmy Wululu in Stories: Eine Reise zu den großen Dingen, Elf Künstler der australischen Aborigines, Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig, Haus der Kulturen der Welte, Berlin, Ludwig-Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, Germany
David Malangi in Cinque Galerie des 5 Continents, David Malangi, Huang Yong Ping, Betrand Lavier, Joe Ben Junior, Frederic Brule Bouabré, curated by Jeane Hubert Martin, Musée National des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, Paris, 1995.
1994 Tyerabarbowarryaou II: I Shall Never Become a Whiteman II, co-curated with Fiona Foley, 5th Havana Biennal, International Press Centre, Havana, Cuba, & Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
1993/1994 Touring Curator, Aratjara: the Art of the First Australians, Kunstsammlung Norhrheinwestphalien, Düsseldorf, Germany, Hayward Gallery, London, England, Louisiana Museum, Humlebaek, Danmark
1992/1993 Tyerabarbowarryaou I: I Shall Never Become a Whiteman, co-curated with Fiona Foley, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Adelaide, The Centre Gallery, The Gold Coast, Qld, The Perc Tucker Gallery, Townsville, Qld.
1990 Ramingining/Bathurst Island, The Centre Arts, Adelaide Arts Festival, Adelaide
1989 Recent Work from Maningrida and Ramingining, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney
Ramingining/Yuendumu, Friends of the Earth Gallery, Melbourne
1988 Beneath the Southern Cross, Biennale of Sydney, Pier 2/3, Sydney, Aboriginal Memorial (total concept, including Film screened on SBS television 1989)
1986 International Basket Weavers Conference, Sheraton Hotel, Melbourne
Origins, Originality and Beyond, Biennale Six, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Central Arnhem Land Art, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Karnta, Aboriginal Women's Art Exhibition, The Esplanade Gallery, Darwin
1985 National Aboriginal Week Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Australian Sculpture Triennale, Power Street Gallery, Melbourne
1984 Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies/Australian National Gallery Aboriginal Art Exhibition/Forum, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T.
1983 Australian Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
XVII Bienal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, South America
1982 ROM Exhibition, A.I.A.S., Acton House, Canberra
1981 The Land, the Sea and Our Culture, Anthropology Museum, University of Queensland, Brisbane
1979 Traditions and Innovations, Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory Building, Darwin

RAMINGINING ARTISTS EXHIBITIONS

2003 The Native Born [exhibition], Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipai, Taiwan.
2002 The Native Born [exhibition] Palacio de Velázquez of the Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain
The Native Born [exhibition] Pinacoteca do Estado, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2001 The Native Born [exhibition] Objects and Representations from Ramingining, Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany
2000 Yolngu Science, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
1996 The Native Born [exhibition] Objects and Representations from Ramingining, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
1995 Philip Gudthaykudthay, Aboriginal & South Pacific Gallery, Sydney
Verhalen om niet te Verdwalen - Stories to know where to go, Land van de Wilde Honig - The Land of the Wild Honey, The Kindermuseum of the Troppenmuseum, Amsterdam, Nedlands
1993 The Art of George Milpurrurru, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
1992 Jimmy Wululu/Philip Gudthaykudthay, The Drill Hall, ANU, Canberra
1989 Ramingining Art, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney
Gamunungu Miyalk - Women Painters, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs
Ramingining Art, Shades of Ochre Gallery, Darwin
Ramingining Art, Ben Grady Gallery, Canberra
Ramingining Art, Friends of the Earth Gallery, Melbourne
Yolngu Rom: Three Generations of Ramingining Art - with Ramingining School for N.A.I.D.O.C. Week at Shades of Ochre Gallery, Darwin
1988 Djarrdi Ashley/Dorothy Djukulul, Esplanade Gallery, Darwin
Ramingining Art, The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Adelaide
Charlie Djurrutjini, Esplanade Gallery, Darwin
1987 Ramingining Art, The Centre Gallery, Gold Coast, Qld.
Ramingining Art - Tom Djumburpur, Brisbane Community Art Centre, Brisbane
Ramingining Art, New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale, N.S.W.
Ramingining Art, Birukmirri Gallery, Freemantle, W.A.
Jimmy Wululu, Esplanade Gallery, Darwin
1986 David Malangi, State Bank of N.S.W., Sydney, arranged through the Macquarie Gallery
Ramingining Art, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs
Dorothy Djukulul/Djardi Ashley, Aboriginal Artist's Gallery, Melbourne
Roy Burrunyula and Tom Djumburpur, Anima Gallery, Adelaide
1985 George Milpurrurru, Aboriginal Artist's Gallery, Sydney
Ramingining Art Exhibition, Nerang Gallery, Gold Coast, Queensland
1984 Buyu (Weaving) Exhibition, N.T. Arts Council Gallery, Darwin
Objects and Representations From Ramingining, Power Gallery of Contemporary Art, (now the Museum of Contemporary Art), University of Sydney
1983 David Malangi, Artist in Residence - The Tin Sheds, University of Sydney
Philip Gudthaykudthay, Garry Anderson Gallery, Sydney
Paddy Dhathangu/Jack Manbararra/David Malangi, Collectors Gallery, Sydney
Mulgurrum (Outstation) Exhibition, Ewing/Paton Gallery, Melbourne
N.A.I.D.O.C. Week Ramingining Exhibition Campletown Town Hall, Campletown, N.S.W.

COLLECTIONS COMMISSIONED

1989-1990 John Kluge - 'Painting the Land' Commission, John Kluge, private collection, Virginia, U.S.A. now in the University of Virginia, Kluge-Ruhe Collection
1989-1991 Balmbi Art Collection Commission, Mobil Oil for the Museum and Art Gallery of N.T., Darwin
1988-1989 Central Arnhem Land Bark Painting Commission, Museum of Mankind, British Museum, London
1983 Morning Star Bapurru Commission, Australian Museum, Sydney

MURALS/INSTALLATIONS CONCEPT, CO-ORDINATION, COLLABORATION

2005 “I Saw the Sun,” shown later in May 2005 at the IMA as “Persistance”
2004 Micky Durrng ‘Djirrididi’ body design wall painting, as part of Spirit and Vision, Essl Collection, Vienna, Austria.
Micky Durrng, ‘This Must be a Sacred Place,’ wall painting exhibition at UTS Art Gallery, University of Technology, Sydney
“I Made a Mark” print in Out of the Dark exhibition, Wiseart Gallery, Brisbane
“I Saw the Sun,” performance on digital video shown in Presence with the work of Lonnie Hutchinson and Jenny Fraser at Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane for the 2004 Straight Out of Brisbane Festival.
2003 Micky Durrng, Djirrididi body design wall painting as part of the Fields exhibition at the Institute of Modern Art, Judith Wright Centre, Brisbane
Baryugil etching as part of Garma Print Project, Garma Festival, Gove Peninsula
2002 A Sacred Place, Djirrdidi Body design mural in collaboration with Micky Dorrng, Kathleen Wurranditiwuy, and Australian Marlo Slavin, at Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany
Jimmy Wululu - Bongu Sand Sculpture, collaboration with Wululu for The Native Born exhibition, at Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany
Silent Shadow Installation with artist Marlo Slavin, for Sculpture by the sea [Sydney, Nov. 2001], placed in the Macquarie University’s Sculpture Park, Sydney.
2000 A Sacred Place, Djirrdidi Body design mural in collaboration with Micky Dorrng, Charlie Matjuwi, and Michael Cook, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
Wuymirri - Whale Sand Sculpture collaboration with Charlie Matjuwi, Micky Dorrng, and Michael Cook, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
Ngaraka, Shrine for the Unknown Koori, part of Shrines for the New Millenium, SOCOG Cultural Program. Placed in December 2001 as part of the Australia National University Sculpture Walk, Canberra, ACT
1998 Jimmy Wululu - Bongu Sand Sculpture, collaboration with Wululu for 'The Everyday,’ Biennale of Sydney
1997 Jimmy Wululu - Bongu Sand Sculpture, Bougenvillea Festival – Darwin, Northern Territory Parliament House Entrance Hall
1995 Djang'kawu Waterhole at Dhabila sand sculpture, collaboration with David Malangi as part of Cinque Galerie des 5 Continents,. David Malangi, Huang Yong Ping, Betrand Lavier, Joe Ben Junior, Frederic Brule Bouabré, curated by Jeane-Hubert Martin, Musée National des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, Paris, 1995.
1990 New Darwin Post Office [Mural], Darwin. David Malangi, Paddy Dhathangu, Fiona Foley, Sharon Pacey, Wendy Ludwidj. Opened with a Smoking Ceremony.
1987 Wurrurrtjarra- Paddy Dhatangu's Father's Painting [Mural], Darwin Performing Arts Centre, Darwin,. Paddy Dhatangu, Andrew Marrgululu, Lin Onus, Chips MacInolty, Ramandi.
1986 Yathalamarra Waterhole [Mural] Centre Gallery, Gold Coast, Qld.,.David Malangi, Avril Quaill, Raymond Meeks
1983 Jimmy Barnabu, Photo-audio installation for Perspecta 83, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

IN PROGRESS/NEGOTIATION

Aboriginal Stain Glass Wall Project - N.T. Supreme Court Building, State Square, Darwin, N.T.
Collymongles Carved Tree Project (repatriation), Museum of Contemporary Art – Sydney. Eventual repatriation to Walgett/Moree/Colorenibri
Bennelong - Pemulwuy Memorial rock engraving, Bennelong Point, Circular Quay, Sydney

PUBLICATIONS/ESSAYS/REVIEWS

2007 Children Are Sacred, cat. essay for News From Islands exh., Campbelltown Art Centre, Campbelltown.
Michael Tufferey interview for News From Islands exh., Campbelltown Art Centre, Campbelltown.
Letter to a Young Aboriginal Artist for Museum & Gallery NSW
Some People Are Stories, Vincent Serico, exhibition cat. essay, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, Qld.
I Saw the Sun – East Coast, catalogue essay, Lismore Regional Art Gallery, Lismore, February, 2007. -
Read as Aboriginal art editorial on Awaye ABC Indigenous arts program, Feb.2007
“Nothing is Lost – Nothing Is Nothing – You Are Not Nothing,” keynote essay for Beyond Regions, artsNSW, Sydney.
APT: Aboriginal People Try - ‘The other APT’ – review for Art Link, Contemporary Art Quarterly, Vol. 27, No.1, the world as art, 2007
White Face BLAK Mask – NAVA Quarterly 07.1 Sustainable Futures For Indigenous Art Practice, March 2007
The Concept of Style in Central Arnhem Land – catalogue essay for ‘One Sun – One Moon’ exhibition, AGNSW.
Sunshine State – Smart State, exhibition catalogue essay, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia, July, 2007.
2006 White Face BLAK Mask with apologies to Franz Fanon, Artlink Stirring issue, vol.25, no.3.
Jimmy Wululu, bark painter from Arnhem Land, Art Monthly, May, 2006, Issue 187 – no.1.
Destiny Deacon, in ARTiT bilingual art magazine, Tokyo, Japan.
Aboriginal Art: It’s a White Thing, essay in The Art of Politics – The Politics of Art, Fiona Foley [edit.], Keeaira Press, Queensland, June, 2006.
Two Quiet Men, Micky Garrawurra and Tom Djumburpur, Art Monthly Australia, July 2006, No. 191.
Wungulli-Shadow, Photographing the Spirit and Michael Riley, catalogue essay for Michael Riley – sight unseen exhibition, July, 2006, NGA, Canberra, ACT.
Depth of Field, Archie Moore, exhibition text, Ryan Renshaw Gallery [formerly Black Lab Gallery], Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
The Smart State–Crazy State, Magazine/ magazine, Visual Arts Bi-Monthly/Issue 2.2/ Free, p.3-7.
Digital Song-lines, catalogue essay for the other APT, Raw Space Galleries, Brisbane
2005 Some People are Stories, catalogue essay in This Is No Ordinary Place exhibition, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT.
Darwin-artport, in Artonview magazine, Issue 44, summer 2005-6, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT, issn no 1323 4552 p. 46.
2004 People are Stories, the Art of David Malangi, exhibition catalogue essay, National Gallery of Australia.
Michael Riley Obituaries –
1. ArtLink – Hybrid World December 2004 Vol. 24 no.4
2. Sydney Morning Herald – Thursday September 2004
3. Photofile – 73: SUMMER 2005
4. RealTime - RT 63 October/November 2004
5. Artlines magazine [QAG] – December 2004
November, Of Like Political Mind, catalogue essay for Destiny Deacon, Walk & don’t look blak, retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.
December – An Aboriginal Still Life, for the AGNSW Margaret Preston exhibition catalogue curated by Deborah Edwards.
2003 “The Native Born,” exhibition preview, Artist [magazine] 333, 2003.2, Taipei, Taiwan.
“The Native Born, Contemporary Aboriginal Art from Australia,” in Art Today, February 2003, Taipei, Taiwan.
“A Dance in the Desert with variations,” UTS - Institute for International Studies Annual Symposium, Art & Social Change, June 2003
“Aw – Story Place, The people of west Cape York,” catalogue essay for Story Place, Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest, Ian Were, Senior Editor, Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, July, 2003.
“Craig Koomeeta,” biography for Story Place, Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest, Ian Were, Senior Editor, Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, July, 2003.
2002 “Between Two Worlds,” Art Monthly, June 2002, no.150
Ngukurr Prints, exhibition catalogue essay, University of Wollongong Gallery, Wollongong University
“It’s hard To Be Me,” review, VietPOP, Liverpool Regional Art Museum, printed in Vietnamese in Viet Luan, 16.7.2002 ed. [Aust/Vietnamese newspaper], and in English in RealTime magazine, August 2002
“The Great Harmony - The Great Silence,” exhibition catalogue essay, Wild Things, exhibition, The Jam Factory, Adelaide Sept 2002
A Dance in the Desert, Dorothy Napangardi, catalogue essay, exhibition, MCA Sydney, December 2002
2001 “River of Corn,” catalogue essay for artist Fiona Foley, Contemporary Art Museum University of Southern Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
“Absence of presence on Acton peninsula,” Art Monthly Australia, May 2001, Number 139..
“Aboriginal Art: An Art of Installation,” Post West magazine, No.18 2001
“Art on a String Life on a String”, foreword for Art on a String [exhibition], Dr Louise Hamby & Diane, Object Gallery, Customs House, Sydney
Foreword, Solitaire, Fiona Foley [book on], Piper Press, Sydney
“Salt on Mina Mina, NATSIAA,” review, Art Monthly, November 2001, Number 145
2000 “Knowing When to Say Olé /2,” Clark Conference 2000, Compression vs. Expression, Containing and Explaining the World's Art, April 6-8 2000, Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
“Knowing When to Say Olé /3,” Music as Cultural Interpretation Symposium on Research in Indigenous Music and Performance - Current Issues, part of 23rd Annual National Musiological Society of Australia, University of Sydney
The Native Born, Objects and Representations from Ramingining, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney. Reprinted in German in 2000, The Native Born, Objekte und Darstellungen Aus Ramingining, Arnhemland, Sprengel Museum, Hannover. Printed in Spanish in 2002 by Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Palacio de Velazquez; titled; Ramingining, Arte aboriginen australiano de la Tierra de Arnhem.
Personal profile, in Australia Now, Bookman Press
“Negotiating Co-existence,” in Reconciliation: Essays on Australian Reconciliation, edited by Michelle Gratton, Bookman Press
“On A Wing and A Prayer,” catalogue essay for Clouds, a photographic exhibition by Michael Riley, Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney
“Rubbish Art,” catalogue essay in, GARMA, 17 years of Interchange and Continuation in North Australian Aboriginal Art, presented by Telstra, Museum & Art Gallery of NT, Darwin, NT. Reprinted as, Rubbish Art [2], Feature article for the Metropolitan section, p.14, Sydney Morning Herald [Sydney daily] 12th Sept 2001
Black to Blak, catalogue essay in, Dreamtime to New Millennium, Macquarie University Art Gallery, Macquarie University, Sydney.
Ngaraka, Shrine for the Unknown Koori, essay contribution to Shrines for the New Millennium, SOCOG Cultural Program, at Sydney College for the Arts, Rozelle, Sydney.
Millennia Indigenna [Visual arts], in Australia's Indigenous Arts, Australia Council for the Arts and Real Time for 6th Festival of Pacific Arts, Biennale of Contemporary Art, Noumea, New Caledonia/Kanaki
1999 Forest of Dreams, Forests of Hope, The Aboriginal Memorial catalogue, International Olympic Committee Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland, reprinted in Periphery Magazine, Issue No. 39, Winter 1999. Reprinted in 2001 in What Is Installation?, an anthology of writings on Australian installation art, Adam Geczy and Benjamin Gennocchio [ed], Power Publications, Power Institute, Foundation for Art and Visual Culture, University of Sydney
“The Land is Full of Signs,” Art from the Land, dialogues with the Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Australian Aboriginal Art, ed. Howard Morphy and Margo Smith Boles, University of Virginia, 1999
1998 “All the Land is Full of Signs,” catalogue essay, Peintres aborigènes d'Australie [exhibition], Sylvie Crossman/Jean Pierre Barou [ed.], Indigène Editions, Establishment Public Du Parc Et Be La Grande Halle de le Villette, Paris
“Maxie Tjampitjinpa,” obituary, The Australian newspaper, reprinted in ART & Australia, Vol. 35, No. 3, 1998
“Passion, Rich Collectors and the Export Dollar, The selling of Aboriginal art overseas,” Felicity Wright with assistance from Djon Mundine, Artlink, the big pond, Australian Contemporary Art Quarterly, Vol.18, No. 4
“A Casual Acquaintance,” catalogue essay for The Everyday. Biennale of Sydney, “Margaret 'Robyn' Djunginy,” “Elizabeth Djutarra,” “Rover Thomas,” “Jimmy Wululu,” artists catalogue entries, The Everyday , Biennale of Sydney
1997 “The Second Crime,” review, Copyrites exhibition, Periphery magazine, Issue No.30 February 1997
“Nothing is Understood, Culture Conferences - A Final Look,” Periphery magazine, Issue No. 30, February 1997
“Finding the Body,” Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, review ART and Australia, Vol. 34, No. 3, Autumn 1997
“Ich Bin Aratjara/2,” for ART and Australia, September 1997, special Year of the Dreaming issue
“The Auslander and Degenerate Art,” for alternative Documenta, Kassel, Germany, 1997
“Knowing When to Say Olé,” for Periphery magazine, Issue no.31, May 1997
“Meetings with Remarkable Men [and Women]” for the Painters of the Wagilag Sisters Story, exhibition catalogue, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, September 1997, distributed by Thames and Hudson
“Paddy Dhathangu Lilipiyana,” “Daisy Maynbunharrawuy,” “Tjam Yilkarri,” biographical interviews for the Painters of the Wagilag Sisters Story, exhibition catalogue, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, September 1997
“Ramingining Weavers,” catalogue entry, 1997 Australian Perspecta exhibition Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
“What Does an Aboriginal Eat?” What is Aboriginal Art? exhibition, curator, Peter Yanada McKenzie, Ivan Docherty Gallery, College of Fine Arts, Paddington, September 1997
“Fulbright, Fulbright, I Wish I May, I Wish I Might,” Periphery Magazine, 1997
“The Painters of the Wagilag Sisters Story,” exhibition review, Periphery Magazine, 1997
1996 “Glyde River story: David Malangi,” Art Monthly, Australia, May 1996, Number 89, p.7-9.
“The Native Born, Gulunbuy From the Water-Hole, Diltjipuy From the Forests,” Periphery Magazine, Issue No. 27, May 1996
“What Aboriginal Is That?” catalogue essay, curated by Jeanne Long/Stephanie Bird, The School, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, U.S.A.
“Fiona Foley,” “Brian Nyinawanga,” catalogue essays, and introduction essay co-authored with Wally Caruana, The Eye of the Storm, Eight Contemporary Indigenous Australian Artists, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi and later in 1997 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, and Museum of Modern Art, Heide, Melbourne
1995 “La Quinta Bienal De La Habana, A report on Cuba's answer to Venice,” ART and Asia Pacific, January 1995, Volume 2, Number 1
“The Food Chain Starts Here, Larrtha'puy - from the mangroves,” Art and Agriculture issue, Artlink, Autumn, Vol. 15, No.1, p.46-47
“Ginger Riley Munduwalawala,” and “Jimmy Wululu,” exhibition catalogue essays, Stories - Eine Reise zu den großen Dingen, Elf Künstler der australischen Aborigines, Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig, Haus der Kulturen der Welte, Berlin, Ludwig-Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, Germany. Reprinted in english as Stories, eleven aboriginal artists, Works from The Holmes à Court Collection, Craftsman House, Sydney, 1997
“Hey Little Black Girl, Exotica Under the Microscope,” catalogue essay for Fiona Foley, Institute of Modern Art, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Qld.
1994 “You Can Be the President I'd Rather Be the Pope,” title essay for Tyerabarrbowaryaou (I Shall Never Become a Whiteman) II exhibition at the 5th Havana Bienal, International Press Centre, Havana, Cuba, and later at Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
“Ich bin ein Aratjara,” [exhibition review] Art Monthly Australia, November 1994, No. 75, reprinted as “De noodzaak van een nieuwe taal, Europese reacties op Aboriginal kunst,” in Paul Faber, Renée Heijnen, Alexander Valeton, Lies Wajer, Aboriginal kunst, Uit het hart van Australië, Alexander Valeton/Stichting INMA, Amsterdam, 1994. Reprinted as the original title in Reve et politique des premiers Australiens, L’ancien futur de l’Australiens Textes edites par, Delphine D. Morris et Michel Boccara, L’Harmattan, Paris, 2000.
“From Charcoal Lane,” Urban Focus, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art From the Urban Areas of Australia, 15th October-27th November 1994, Djon Mundine, Wally Caruana, exhibition brochure, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
“First Koori,” [review] Art Monthly Australia, December 1994, No. 76
David Malangi in “Power Works From the MCA Collection”, Robert Leonard and Priscilla Pitts (eds.), Museum of New Zealand Te PapaTongarewa, Wellington, NZ, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ, Waikato Museum of Art and History, Hamilton, NZ, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, NZ
1992 “If My Ancestors Could See Me Now,” title essay for Tyerabarbowaryaou (I Shall Never Become A Whiteman) exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
“Spot the Primitive,” Aboriginal Art in the Public Eye, an Art Monthly Australia special supplement
“Aboriginal Sculpture,” Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia, Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies CD-ROM
1991 Wanga-Country, Aboriginal Maps, 'Unfolding Australia', Proceedings of the joint meeting of the International Map Collectors' Society and the Australia Map Circle, Sydney, Australia, 17-21 November 1991 in the Globe Journal of the Australia Circle, Special Issue, Number 37. 1992
1990 “Art Co-ordinator: No Ordinary Job,” Artlink, Volume 10, Nos. 1& 2, Autumn/Winter 1990. Re-Printed in Aratjara - Art of the First Australian, catalogue, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
1989 “Drawing on Black Reality, A Myriad of Dreaming- Lauraine Diggins Fine Art,” catalogue essay, Malakoff Fine Art Press, Re-Printed: Land Rights News
“Aboriginal Art, Art Gallery of NSW,” Art Australia, Vol.26, no.1, Art Gallery of NSW
“Central Arnhem Land Art,” chapter in Windows on the Dreaming, W. Caruana (ed.), Ellsyd Press, 1989
Forward, Aboriginality Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings & Prints, Jennifer Isaacs, University of Qld. Press 1989
“Aboriginal Art in Australia Today,” Les Cahiers du Musee d'Art Moderne No. 28. Re-Printed: Third Text, No. 6, Spring 1989, Kala Press, London UK; and, Australian Artist, May 1989, Vol 5 No.11
1988 “Aboriginal Art: 200 Burial Poles - an Aboriginal Memorial,” Art Monthly Australia, May 1988 Issue No.10, reprinted in Under the Southern Cross Bicentenary Biennale of Sydney, catalogue entry
Preface of The Inspired Dream M.K.C. West (ed.) National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data, 1988
“Black on Black, An Aboriginal Perspective on Koori Art.”
“The land, the city - The emergence of urban Aboriginal art,” Art Monthly, Australia, a special supplement
1986 “Ramingining Performance Group: Origins, Originality, and Beyond,” Biennale of Sydney, catalogue entry
1983 “David Malangi,” Australian Perspecta 198, catalogue entry, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 1983
“Guku – Sugarbag,” Australian Perspecta 1983, catalogue entry, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 1983

IN PRINT

They are Meditating – The Arnott’s Collection of Bark Paintings at the Museum of Contemporary Art for 2007

PUBLICATIONS CONSULTANT

1989 Kunst: Picassos aus dem Busch, Stern Magazine, August 10, 1989
1988 Aboriginal Bone Coffins, Simply Living, Vol.3, No. 8

FILMS / VIDEO – CONSULTANCIES / SCRIPTING / MAJOR APPEARANCE

2000 The World of Dreamings [ICAM - SBS], National Museum of Australia/National Gallery of Australia, The Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia, Julie Nimmo director.
1998 Statement on The Aboriginal Memorial, Art in Australia, Postmodernism and Cultural Identity, British Open University, BBC.
1997 Copyrites, SBS/Films, Director Cathy Eatoch.
1994 Shimmer in the City, [urban Aboriginal art], SBS
1992 Bula'bula Arts, Cecile Babiole, Director, Ex Nhilo.
1991 David Malangi, Consultant to film for ABC Television; Indigenous producer/director, Michael Riley
1989 Dreamings, Consultant to video directed by Michael Riley, and produced to accompany exhibition of the same name by Film Australia
1988 Here's My Hand, Concept/Producer, Ramingining Arts, Mike Edols, & S.B.S. Television
1988 First Citizen: Albert Namatjira, Consultant; Juniper Films

In Progress
Aboriginal Memorial, Tetravision Productions, produced by Ramingining Arts
CD-ROM
Under a Southern Sun, contribution, The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
Aboriginal Memorial, The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
CD-ROM (in progress)
The Arafura Swamp (working title) with Koichi Mori and Stephen Suluway, Japan

TRAINING

1996 Museum of Contemporary Art
Samantha Simmons
1995 Ramingining Arts & Crafts
Trainees - Sylvia Manytjarpuy, May Yamangarra
1986/7/8 Ramingining Arts & Crafts
Trainees - Alfred Gunapun
1984/5 Ramingining Arts & Crafts
Trainees - Charlie Djota
1983 Ramingining Arts & Crafts
Trainees - Jimmy Yanganiny (dec.)
1982 Ramingining Arts & Crafts
Trainees - Brian Yambal (2), Jimmy Banabur (dec.)
1979/81 Milingimbi Arts & Crafts
Trainees - Kenny Djolma, Alfred Gunapun, Tony Buwa’nandu (dec.), Charlie Djota, Jimmy Yanganiny (dec.)
1978 Aboriginal Arts & Crafts Pty. Ltd., Sydney
Trainees - Michael Leslie, John Barker

ACADEMIC RECORD

Bachelor of Arts Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales
Behavioural Sciences
Degree Deferred

SCHOLASTIC RECORD

1967-1968 Marist Brothers, Parramatta (Westmead) High School
1962-1966 Marist Brothers, Auburn
1956-1961 South Grafton Primary School

Djon Mundine O.A.M. Bandjalang People

Djon was the Senior Curator, Gallery of Aboriginal Australia, National Museum of Australia, Canberra until 2000, after being Senior Curator of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Programs at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney. Prior to this until the end of 1995 he was Art Adviser for the Ramingining Community of Central Arnhem Land, N.T. and had held the position there and at Milingimbi and Maningrida for the past sixteen (16) years.
Originally from the north coast of N.S.W. his father is Bandjalang and his mother Ngaku. Prior to shifting to Arnhem Land he worked as Operations Manager for Aboriginal Arts and Crafts in Sydney for three (3) years. Though living in the north, he has maintained contact with art movements in other parts of the country. He was called the patron of Boomali Aboriginal Artist's Co-operative in its early years in Sydney and held the consultancey position of Curator in the Field at the Art Gallery of N.S.W., Sydney for ten years. He is still the Arts representative on the Research advisory Committee of the AIATSIS, Canberra and on the Heritage Collections Committee of the Dept. of Communication & the Arts. Djon is also special consultant to the National Gallery of Australia.
Djon is best known for the " Aboriginal Memorial " installation, exhibited in 1988 and now permanently on display at the N.G.A., Canberra. Described as " one of the greatest pieces of art ever to be created in this country " it was seen by many (both black and white) as the Bicentennial statement. His retinue of thematic exhibitions over the years with accompanying text is varied, acclaimed, and continues with each year such as the environmentally related ' The Native Born ' show at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1996. The show blended and blurred the divisions of art, craft and utilitarian object in the hang of woven natural fibres, ground installations, tools, weapons and paintings. It was exhibited in Hannover, Germany in 2001, and shown in the Reina Sofia in Madrid, Sao Paulo-Brazil, and then the Asia Society in New York in 2002 before finally shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, Taiwain.
During 1993/4 he spent two years abroad touring with the historic 'Aratjara' exhibition touring Germany, the U.K., Danmark, and visiting France, Holland, Canada for research purposes, and Cuba with the ' Tyerabarbowaryaou II ' show. He has been involved with and travelled with indigenous exhibitions in India, Sri Lanka, Cuba, France, Holland, UK, Danmark, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Russia, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Brazil, Taiwan, Canada, and the USA. The ‘Tyerabowbarwaryaou II [I Shall Never Become a Whiteman]’ exhibition to the 1994 Havana Biennial being a particular highlight. In 1993 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for services to the visual arts. He worked with artist Fiona Foley on the Shrine for the Lost Koori for the Olympic Cultural Program. This was permanently installed in the ANU Sculpture Walk in 2001. In 2004 Djon collaborated with the artist Micky Durrng with a series of ‘wall paintings’, interpreted from the ‘Dirrididi Kingfisher’ body design. Later that year he created the ‘I Saw the Sun’ digital performance piece. Now respected as an authority on the Aboriginal art field and appearing on several advisory boards such as the 'Australia on CD' program, he still maintains grass roots contact through his time at Ramingining and contact with the Koorie arts community in Sydney, Brisbane, and Canberra.

Curriculum Vitae- Djon Mundine OAM