Thompson Yulidjirri

Thompson Yulidjirri is a respected senior artist and ceremonial elder in western Arnhem Land and for many years he has played an important role in instructing young and emerging artists from this area.

He is well-known for miniaturised images of Mimi figures, elegant depictions of brolgas and bush turkey, both his totems, as well as for his paintings of the Ubarr ceremony, done in the x-ray or rarrk (cross-hatching) style common to this region. His ceremonial images lead the viewer into sacred and ritual realms.

He has been featured in several documentaries and has travelled overseas to exhibit his painting and demonstrate his technique. He is also a respected Aboriginal dancer, who, in a joint venture with Stalker Theatre and Marageku Dance Companies, conceived and devised the production of Mimi, a show which has toured Australia, Europe and parts of Asia. He was also one of the choreographers of the Aboriginal dance performed as part of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Since exhibiting his paintings in the First National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition in 1984, he has participated in many group exhibitions in Australia and abroad including the 1992 Traditions in Transit exhibition in New York, the Australian Heritage Commission Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award in Canberra and the Power of the Land exhibition in Melbourne in 1994. He was also commissioned to produce a painting for the new Darwin airport which is on permanent display there.

Biography courtesy of The Australian Art Print Network, 2001.
© Australianprints