Megan Djuramalwuy Yunupingu and Judy Manany: Worrwurr

Contemporary decorative design meets traditional Aboriginal artistry in Judy Manany and Megan Djuramalwuy’s artworks. The intricate patterns of natural ochre carved onto milk or cotton wood were inspired by Yunupingu’s ancestral connections to the Gandangu clan and the milieu of Elcho Island, where both artists live and work. In particular, the owl totem, or the Worrwurr, was believed to foretell the wellbeing of one’s family. The result is a series of owl carvings that serve as an example of modern aesthetics while evoking the mysterious air of ancient wisdoms.