– Munuy’ŋu Marika & Bitharr working on a Screenprint, 2023.

Welcome to Yirrkala Print Studio at Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka. Yirrkala Print Studio is one of the Australia’s premier print studios specialising in limited edition works on paper produced on its own press. The intricacies of each new technique – from Japanese woodblocks, etchings, linocuts, screenprints and collographs – has been learnt, absorbed and applied by the artists and printmakers together.

We pride ourselves on being one of a few printmaking facilities that employ and train local Indigenous printmakers. By building on this local connection, the growing and sharing of skills stay with and strengthen our community. Yirrkala Print Space facilitates Yolngu artists sharing their visions and knowledge through works on paper that are made on their own press by their own family members.

‘Every print has to be the design of the artist’s own clan or connecting clans. The design has to be done very carefully so as not to mix them up and to understand their story. We have to talk about it with other people in that clan, so when the design is printed there is no problem. It’s a similar idea to the traditional designs used in the bark paintings and the wood carving, but in printmaking we get the direction from our elders to design the image of the outside story only. In the workshop a lot of Yolngu come and watch what we do in the print shop so they can understand the process.’
– Marrnyula Mununggurr and Mundul Wunungmurra Mununggurr

While the artists are respectful of the discipline of miny’tji (sacred design), the nature of the printmaking process has provided artists freedom of expression by enabling them to experiment with colour, imagery, concepts and design without compromising their spiritual identity. The art of Yirrkala Print Space is being collected and exhibited by galleries around Australia. It is available for purchase online through the shop (Limited Edition Prints), at the Garma Festival and through exhibitions held in conjunction with the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre.

You can also see some of our prints as you arrive at the airport if you are coming to visit the Centre.