ralwurrandji-wanambi-dec
Homeland: Gurka’wuy
Clan: Marrakulu, Dhurili
Moiety: Dhuwa
Father is Mithili, deceased leader of the Marrakulu clan and documented artist. Ralwurrandji married Maḏarrpa artist Nuwandjali with whom she resides at his country at Båniyala, now known as Yilpara. She worked for many years at the Yirrkala art centre Buku-Larrŋgay during the 1980’s and early 90’s. Again in the late nineties and onward she and her sister Boliny and brother Wukun became some of the most prolific and popular artists at Yirrkala.
She works consistently and divides her time between Yirrkala, while working for the local hospital, and her husband’s homeland of Yilpara. She is a very devoted mother and grandmother and an important source of community strength in ceremony and daily life. She has been a stalwart of all of Buku’s projects over the last two decades and figured in important solo and group shows of her own. Despite struggling with illness in 2011 she entered a brand new phase of energised activity and recast her style, which had always been evolving, into a contemporary textured pared back imagery. It is speculated that this was partially a result of Gunybi Ganambarr’s close presence during the extended illness and subsequent death of her dear sister Boliny.
This work was featured by Ruby Alderton as part of her exhibition Three at Chan Contemporary Art Space in 2012. Ralwurrandji featured with Gunybi and Djirrirra in Found which featured recycled materials. She was a mentor to many young artists and faultlessly gentle, kind and generous. Her role in the early years of Buku-Larrnggay was crucial. She worked side by side with her ‘dhuway’ and close friend Steve Fox in both of his long and significant stints from 79-85 and then from 87-93.
