Balungarr: Mark Nodea

Short St Gallery is proud to present, Balungarr by Gija artist, Mark Nodea. We invite you to view his mesmerising exhibition via the link below. Mark is one of the most exciting artists to emerge from Gija country in recent years. Mark's steady following has grown considerably in the last few years which have seen him be a finalist in a number of awards, and have artworks placed in prominent collections within Australia. His bold contemporary compositions draw on the strong oral history and traditions of Gija language and culture. The resulting paintings strike a cord with the viewer and engage them long after the initial sighting. Mark paints Ngarrgooroon, his mother Nancy Nodea's country, which extends around Texas Downs Station and to Purnululu. As Mark explains below,

'I grew up in Warmun in the early 70s and went to school in Wyndham. My childhood was with my mother and grandparents at Balungarr (Texas Downs Station). As a child, my mother and grandparents always took me, brother and sister out bush, camping and living off the land, gathering bush tucker such as wild berries, bush honey, turtles, fish, freshwater shells, emu, turkey and kangaroos. At night around the campfire our grandparents would tell us stories of how their parents lived in the bush country, before colonisation, before white people came to this country. There were no vehicles, our people used to walk across rivers and creeks, climbing hills and mountains. Our grandparents also talked to us in our language (Gija). They taught us Law and Culture, teaching ceremonies our way. Now as an adult, I’ve got three boys of my own; 21, 18 and 17. I am 50 years old and still painting as my elders’ taught me in Warmun. I do love my art, it’s my life.'