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River and Rocks

An artwork collaboration between Deborah Wurrkidj and her mother H. Laninyinwanga. 

For the last 6 months, Deborah has been living on her partners Outstation of Kakodbebuldi where she is working from her home studio. From this location she is dying silk using locally harvested plants. The striking yellow colour came from cooking the root of the man-kurdudjumuk (coelospermum reticulatum) over a fire. 

This design depicts Marebu (pandanus mat).

“This river we call Mangabo. It is near Gudjarrngarrl homeland of my daughters, Deborah and Jennifer Wurrkidj. We cross that river when travelling to Munmoy outstation. In the wet season, that water comes up and covers over those rocks, and when you look down there are rocks all under the water.” 

– Helen Lanyinwanga

Categories: Babbarra Women’s Centre

Name: Deborah Wurrkidj

Language: Kuninjku

Biography:

Deborah Wurrkidj is a highly regarded, versatile artist who has readily adapted to new art forms while retaining her strong clan traditions. She has been working with Bábbarra Designs since 1991, alongside her mother, Helen Lanyinwanga, and sister Jennifer Wurrkidj. She is a leading textile artist and an integral member of Bábbarra Women’s Centre.

Deborah’s work is vibrant, tactile and intricate, evocative of the local natural environment as well as referencing her deep cultural knowledge. Her extensive body of textile art is illustrative of the artistic innovation that has occurred in Maningrida in recent times and that is apparent in her work in other mediums also.

Deborah is world renowned for her bark painting, lorrkkon (hollow logs), and fibre baskets. She has exhibited widely since 2001, throughout Australia as well as in Europe and the United States. She is represented in most of Australia’s state gallery collections.

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