rerrkirrwana-munungurr
Homeland: Waṉḏawuy
Clan: Djapu
Moiety: Dhuwa
Rerrkirrwaŋa is the youngest daughter of the late senior Djapu statesman and award winning artist Djutjadjutja. She was taught to paint by him, in fact many of the paintings attributed to Djutjadjutja in the early nineties were finished by Rerrkirrwaŋa. She now has the authority to paint for herself and has done so successfully on a large scale with her works being part of major collections. She is part of a close knit family of art producers that include her elder sister Marrnyula and mother Noŋgirrŋa Marawili – both award winning artists as well. Rerrkiwaŋa was one of the earliest print artists to produce work at Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre. She is married to Gumatj artist Yalpi Yunupiŋu. In 2009 she won Best Bark Painting category in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art awards with a particularly fine work depicting her husbands clan designs of fire. These iconic works are becoming a signature for her. Her marwat (the handmade Brush made from fine straight human hair tied to a stick) is finer than anyone’s. She has consciously striven for the finest rendition ever achieved in this medium. Characteristically, rather than attending the award ceremony she chose to remain at her son’s dhapi or circumcision ceremony. In 2014 she travelled to Santa Fe in the US for her exhibition at the prestigious Chiaroscuro Gallery.
