'Place of Stones' | Barney Ellaga
6th - 30th April 2016
A major survey exhibition by the late Aboriginal artist Barney Ellaga opens at Mitchell Fine Art on April 6th.
‘Place of Stones’ is a collection of artwork never exhibited in its entirety, with the most recent painting completed in 2004.
Barney Ellaga was a senior Aboriginal law man and until his recent passing in late 2015 he was the last remaining song man of the Alawa people. Barney had intimate knowledge of his traditional homelands and it is this subject, Alawa Country, which his work most represents.
The Aboriginal community of Ngukurr (place of stones) is located on the Roper River in Southeast Arnhem Land and is known for it’s vibrant artistic community, distinct style and exuberant use of colour. Paintings from this area portray the diverse landscape of Ngukurr and culturally significant sites of Alawa country.
In a response to the land of his birth Barney Ellaga uses extraordinary colour compliments to contour Alawa terrains. His fresh and dynamic approach gives impact and power to these abstract pieces.
