Deborah Wurrkidj

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Details

Born: 1971

Skin: Kamanji

Language: Kuninjku

Location: Manangrida

Biography

Deborah Wurrkidj was born in 1971 at Maningrida in north-central Arnhem Land. Her language is Kuninjku and her
moiety is Duwa. Deborah is well known for her fibre weaving, bark painting, woodcarving and printmaking.
Deborah is a versatile artist who has readily adapted to new art forms while retaining strong clan traditions. Her
work is tactile and intricate and illustrates the artistic innovation that has occurred in Maningrida over the last 30
years.
Alongside her highly regarded fine art practice Deborah, with her mother, Helen Lanyinwanga, and sister
Jennifer Wurrkidj has been working at Bábbarra Designs since 1991. She is a leading textile artist and an integral
member of Bábbarra Women’s Centre.
Deborah has exhibited nationally including the 19th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award
in 2002 and is represented in a number of state and private collections.

Exhibitions Group Exhibitions

2022 October, Short St Gallery Broome Northern Waters
2022 September, Koskela Gallery Rosebery Spirit in Bark
2022 March, Agency Projects & Padre Coffee Thread Count
2021 December, Michael Reid Berlin Spirit Worlds: Contemporary Works from Maningrida
2021 May, Delmar Gallery, Ashfield NSW Lineage
2020 December, Lot Fourteen, Adelaide SA Tarnanthi Art Fair
2020 September, Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery Resilience – The Power of the Past Reverberates Today
2020 September, Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Fine Art, Brussels, BELGUIM RESILIENCE: The power of the past today – Maningrida
2020 June, Tiwi Islands to Arnhem Land
2019 October, AGSA Tarnanthi Art Fair 2019
2019 June, Outstation Gallery Bukkan Rowk – ‘I am teaching you’ THE CONTINUING TRADITION OF BALANG JAMES IYUNA
2018 July, Michael Reid, Sydney, NSW From Coast to Escarpment: Spirit Worlds of Maningrida
2018 June, IDAIA, Paris, France Ngaldjorlhbo | Mother of Everything | Mère de Toute Création
2018 April, Cross Art Projects, Sydney, NSW Karrang Kunred: Motherland
2017 August Nomad Art, Darwin, NT Karridjowkke Kunronj (Crossing Streams)
2014 May Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC Barks, Spirit Figures, Lorrkon and Ceremonial Poles
2010 April, National touring exhibition, curated by Nomad Arts, Darwin, NT Replant: a new generation of botanical art
2009 January, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, QLD Sculpture Show
2009 January, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA Orche – A Study in Materiality
2009 January, The Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA Survey from Maningrida Arts & Culture
2009 January, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW Works in Season: Bark Paintings, Carvings & Weavings
2009 January, Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington, USA During the Wet
2009 January, Vivian Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC Fibre & Rarrk – Marina Murdilnga & Debra Wurrkidj
2009 January, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC Ancestral Spirit Beings and Ceremonial Lorrkon
2009 January, Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin, NT 26th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards Exhibition
2008 January, Ecorces recentes de Maningrida, Galerie Luc Bertier, Paris, France African Muse
2008 January, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC Womens show
2008 January, Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin, NT 25th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards Exhibition
2008 January, Chapman Gallery, Canberra Maningrida Art
2008 January, Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT Recent works from Maningrida
2008 January, Chapman & Bailey, Melbourne, VIC Weaving around the Traps
2008 January, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC Maningrida Arising
2007 January, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA Bark Paintings from Maningrida
2007 January, Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW Spirit in Variation Part II
2006 January, NTU, Darwin, NT Cross-section – a collection of prints from NTU stockroom
2005 January, Maningrida Arts & Culture, Darwin, NT Paris-Djinkarr-Milmilngkan
2004 January, AGNSW, Sydney, NSW Crossing Country – The alchemy of Western Arnhem Land art
2003 January, NTU Gallery, Darwin, NT Weave
2003 January, Federation Centre for the Arts, Bundoora Homestead, VIC Weave
2002 January, Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin 19th Telstra National & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition
2002 January, Redback Art Gallery, QLD Maningrida Fibre
2001 January, Raft Artspace, Darwin Good Colour : prints from Maningrida Womens Centre