East Mac – Story other side of Ross River – sacred site for the women.
Name: Mervyn Rubuntja
Language: Arrernte, Western Aranda
Community: Alice Springs
Biography:
Mervyn was born at the Telegraph Station in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). His mother Cynthia (Kamara) Obitja was a Western Aranda woman. His father was the late Mr Wenten Rubuntja Pengarte, a famous artist.
Mervyn’s father was an important role model for him. He was a senior lawman and a respected member of his community. He fought for Aboriginal rights and protection of the land, working alongside the Central Land Council and assisting in the Mabo agreement.
When Mervyn was 13 years old, his family moved to Ntaria (Hermannsburg), where he first saw watercolour paintings as he watched his uncles Maurice, Oscar, and Keith Namatjira painting like their father Albert. Arnulf Ebatarinja, another uncle, kindled Mervyn’s painting talent when he gave him some watercolour paperboard and taught him to paint.
Mervyn's family moved back to Mparntwe in 1975, and he began to paint with Basil Rantji, who taught him how to mix colours.
In 2006, Mervyn was invited to submit a painting for the "Mornington Peninsular Works on Paper" Exhibition. In 2018, Mervyn's artwork was featured in the Badu Gili projection onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House, showcasing his talent and heritage to a wide audience. In 2021Mervyn won the NATSIAA Awards in Darwin (3D category) in a collaborative work with artist Hubert Pareroultja.
Projects:
2013 Speaker at “Haunted Landscapes Presences in the art of Albert Namtjira & Rex Battarbee". A public symposium presented by the Writing & Society. The State Library, Sydney, NSW
2014 Public Art, Mural at the Alice Plaza, Alice Springs
2016 Parrtjima, Festival of Light, Alice Springs (Ground projection)
2016 Cicada Press print workshop, UNSW, Sydney
2017 Parrtjima, Festival of Light, Alice Springs, (Honouring Space)
2018 Badu Gili, painting projection on the eastern Bennelong sail, Sydney Opera House, Sydney
2019 Cicada Press print workshop, UNSW, Sydney
2020 Public Art, window wraps at the Alice Plaza through Red Hot Arts, Alice Springs, NT
