PRINCE OF WHALES - BODY MARKS
PRINCE OF WHALES
BODY MARKS, 1999
acrylic on linen83 x 81 cm
PROVENANCE
Karen Brown Gallery, NT Cat No. KB0585
Private Collection, NT
Private Collection, WA
Art Leven, NSW
STORY
Born with the tribal name Midpul, Prince of Wales was raised among his mother’s people, the Wadgigiyn, on the Cox Peninsula across the harbour from Darwin. Much of his adult life was spent at the beach camp at Cullen Bay, a place that has since transformed into an exclusive marina development. His father, Imabul, known as King George, contributed to his ‘English’ name—a name that was further cemented when Midpul danced for Queen Elizabeth during her visit to Australia in the 1960s. Despite suffering a stroke before gaining recognition, Prince of Wales became the first contemporary Indigenous artist from the Larrakia region to achieve widespread acclaim. His work focused on traditional body designs used in Danggalaba ceremonies, a subject imbued with sacred cultural significance. Through his art, Prince of Wales brought the deep cultural traditions of his people into the contemporary world, securing his place as a pioneering figure in Indigenous art.
EXHIBITED
Dreamings. Aboriginal Australian art meets de Chirico, Museo Carlo Bilotti - Aranciera di Villa Borghese, Roma, 4 July - 2 November, 2014
Eaux Vivantes, Living Waters, Musée océanographique de Monaco, 23 March - 30 September 2016
