Mickey Durrng

Mickey Durrng Garrawurra (1940–2006), usually referred to as Mickey Durrng,

In his early life, Durrng worked as a fisherman from the Galiwinku mission on Echo Island.

"Durrng was one of the last senior men of the great Garrawurra family of 'seven fathers'. Durrng's grandfather sired seven sons, of whom Durrng's father Nupurray Garrawurra was the youngest." He was a member of the Dhuwa moiety and an elder of the Liyagawumirr clan of Yolngu people. His language group is Buyuyukulmirr/Liyagalawumirr. When nearing his death, Durrng's role as elder was to select the person who would carry on the traditions, and he selected his sister Ruth Nalmakarra.

Career Durrng made a career out of painting with pigments and natural ochres on paper. His career in aboriginal art is extensive and has made a profound impact on the Aboriginal art world. Durrng's works are a detailed description of ancestral beings, stories, and lessons. A majority of his works are centered around the stories of the Djan'kawu sisters and clan designs. Durrng's most profitable piece to date is Oysters and Waterholes which sold for US $4,298.

Durrng's "first bold red, yellow, and white striped Djang'kawu painting" was inspired by a work from Paddy Dhathangu. This painting was the first time the ceremonial design was not on a person or 3-dimensional object. This novel piece led to his first commission from Perspecta 1992 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Durrng is most commonly known for his depictions of the Djan'kawu sisters; ancestral beings known as owners of ceremonial law and founders of the Dhuwa moiety. His unique artistic style of boldly striped paintings and hollow log coffins that represent "Dreaming" have garnered him recognition and praise. Dhanyala died two years before Durrng, and just before Durrng's death he gave the rights to his sister, Ruth Nalmakarra and her family, to draw and paint their clan designs. While this was an unorthodox decision made against clan tradition, Nalmakarra has continued his work to revive the cultural designs that strengthen the unity of the community. In comparison, Lena Walunydjanalil arranges her waterholes irregularly to create contrast, unlike Durrng's creation of contrast with colour shades. Natural pigments on bark Synthetic polymer paint and natural pigments on canvas Synthetic polymer paint on canvas Earth pigments on Stringybark Earth pigments on paper

Natural pigments on bark 210 x 25 cm (diam.) (irreg.) Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia Linden Museum Stuttgart, Germany Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney National Gallery of Australia National Gallery of Victoria Queensland Art Gallery