Mickey Bungkuni Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1900 - d. 1978

See Artist Details

0 Lots

Sort By:

Auction Date

Seller

Seller Location

Price Range

to
  • MICKEY BUNGKUNI CIRCA 1900-1978 | Three Karnmangku Yams
    Jun. 10, 2015

    MICKEY BUNGKUNI CIRCA 1900-1978 | Three Karnmangku Yams

    Est: £2,000 - £3,000

    Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark

    Sotheby's
  • MICKEY BUNGKUNI , CIRCA 1900-1978 UNTITLED - BUSH TURKEY AND SNAKE Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark
    Nov. 25, 2007

    MICKEY BUNGKUNI , CIRCA 1900-1978 UNTITLED - BUSH TURKEY AND SNAKE Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark

    Est: $4,000 - $6,000

    Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark

    Sotheby's
  • MICKEY BUNGKUNI CIRCA 1900-1978
    Jul. 31, 2006

    MICKEY BUNGKUNI CIRCA 1900-1978

    Est: $80,000 - $120,000

    WANJINA 1964 MEASUREMENTS 122 by 63.5 cm Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark PROVENANCE Commissioned by John McCaffrey at Mowanjum in 1964 Private collection, Queensland Cf. For related examples see Berndt, R. M. and C. H. Berndt with J. Stanton, Aboriginal Australian Art, A Visual Perspective, Methuen, Australia, 1982; Stanton, J., Painting the Country: Contemporary Aboriginal Art from the Kimberley Region, Western Australia, The University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1989 Mickey Bungkuni was the paternal uncle, and hence classificatory father, to the noted Kimberley artist Wattie Karruwara. They belonged to the same estate and shared a number of similar totemic affiliations including the Spotted Nightjar and the Brolga. Their country lay across the Hunter River (Mariawala) basin an area known as Elalemerri - the holding of the Lantarr Clan - which was named after a shrub with clustered yellow flowers. Bungkuni was the acknowledgeded senior Wunambal lawman resident at Mowanjum in the 1960s, a position he retained until his death Bungkuni, like Karruwara first appears as an artist late in life. In 1963 he painted Wanjina and other mythical figures including Argula (Evil spirits) on sheets of bark for anthropologist Peter Lucich (see R. M. and C.H Berndt with John Stanton, 1982, pp. 66-67, 155; and Stanton 1989, pp. 14-16) Between 1964 and 1966 Bungkuni, along with Wattie Karruwara, worked extensively with anthropologist John McCaffrey. McCaffrey's notes provide great detail of the dialogues the two artists held as they painted - topics included the nature of Wanjina Beings and their anatomy. McCaffrey also detailed how the Wanjina paintings were constructed. At this time McCaffrey appears to be asking questions that other researchers in the area had not considered and it is clear that he enjoyed a close relationship with the two men. McCaffrey records the notion of Wanjina being the huge solitary storm clouds, topped with thunderheads connected to the earth by streaming rain as they march across the country during the wet season. The wind is the sound of Wanjina humming, thunder the roar of their voices. The details of Wanjina anatomy are carefully noted by McCaffrey, those elements - eyes, nose, fingers etc that are shared with humans being differentiated from others - symbols of rain, clouds and lightning that reflected the Wanjinas cosmological powers. As McCaffrey notes in his journal, although the Wunambal Wanjinas are saltwater beings they are associated always with freshwater animals - hence, as in this instance, the additional figures of watersnakes and short and long-necked tortoises and freshwater crocodiles McCaffrey noted the different techniques used by Mickey and Wattie when they applied ochre to bark. Wattie would infill his figures in one manner, while Bungkuni, would sub-divide the space being stippled in a regular manner and then fill in each compartment in turn. The time it took to complete a picture is alluded to, with Wattie taking three hours to delineate and infill just the hair rays of his Wanjina In a unique piece of movie footage Bungkuni can be seen painting this Wanjina figure. Shot in the mid-1960s, at the same time that McCaffrey was working at Mowanjum, several scenes show the Wanjina at different stages of development. Other footage shows an exhibition of Mowanjum art and craftwork, possibly the first of its kind to be held in Derby. Clearly visible are a number of the Karruwara watercolours that were sold through Sotheby's in 2002 and 2003 Unlike the work of many more recent Wanjina artists, Bungkuni's paintings reflect a direct connectedness with the art of the Kimberley caves and his personal cosmology. Wanjina were perceived to be present as the artists painted and each change of weather experienced as they worked was considered proof of their proximity This painting is sold with an accompanying DVD transcribed from the original 8mm film in which the artist is seen in the process of executing the work Sotheby's wish to thank Kim Akerman for this catalogue entry

    Sotheby's
  • MICKEY BUNGKUNI CIRCA 1900-1978
    Jul. 31, 2006

    MICKEY BUNGKUNI CIRCA 1900-1978

    Est: $15,000 - $20,000

    WANJINA C.1965 MEASUREMENTS 74 by 38 cm (irregular) Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark PROVENANCE Private collection, Sydney Cf. For related examples see Berndt, R. M. and C. H. Berndt with J. Stanton, Aboriginal Australian Art, A Visual Perspective, Methuen, Australia, 1982; Stanton, J., Painting the Country, Contemporary Aboriginal Art from the Kimberley Region, Western Australia, The University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1989 Mickey Bungkuni was born into the Lantarr Clan whose Elalamerri estate lay across the Hunter River (Mariawala) basin to the north of Prince Frederick Harbour. Bungkuni was the senior Wunambal lawman resident at Mowanjum in the 1960s, a position he retained until his death in 1978 As with many pre-1970s Wanjina paintings from the Kimberley this painting is on an irregularly trimmed sheet of bark. Rather than detracting from the work, the roughly trimmed bark sheets reflect the niches and surfaces of the rock shelters and caves, that carry the important Wanjina figures in many north and central Kimberley clan estates. Wanjina paintings found in caves and shelters usually present a weathered appearance. Originally Clan paintings were meant to be re-painted annually, but, along with other post-contact impacts, many have not been retouched for several generations. Bark paintings prior to 1975 were usually done in ochres mixed only with water and directly applied to unprepared surfaces. The careful stripping, flattening of bark using heat and preparing the surfaces by painting with fixatives, or mixing ochres with natural fixatives as occurred in Arnhem Land, was unknown in the Kimberley. Consequently many bark paintings tend to show a more textured surface often with some flaking of pigment - features that, along with their irregular shape enhance the sense of affinity with their cave art origins The upswept rays that crown the head of this Wanjina, common to Wanjina paintings done by both Bungkuni or his 'son' Watty Karruwara are identified by anthropologist John McCaffrey as 'bundles of hair' arranged in a complex hairdo - they 'do not represent lightning'. These in turn grow from a broader band of red ochre 'lightning' that flows from the head to outline the entire body. The black oval of the sternum (biran-biran) rests on the chest and a hairbelt (ngunuru or wanala) separates the lower limbs from the abdomen. Kim Akerman has recorded that the stippled infill represented rain (kulingi) streaming from the solitary storm clouds that march across the Kimberley in the early wet season Sotheby's wish to thank Kim Akerman for this catalogue entry

    Sotheby's
Lots Per Page:

Popular Artists

Devices

Get Invaluable on Your Phone

Download the app via text link to get instantly notified if you’re outbid and receive auction reminders so you never miss out!

Bid On-the-Go!

Download the Invaluable app and never miss an auction from your iOS or Android device.

App Store badgeGoogle Play badge
Invaluable Logo

As the world's leading online auction marketplace, thousands of auction houses use Invaluable to deepen relationships with millions of clients around the world. Stay connected to the things you love with curated items and auctions sent to your inbox.

You can unsubscribe at any time. View ourPrivacy Policy.

© 1986-2024 Invaluable, LLC. and participating auction houses. All Rights Reserved.

TermsSubscription AgreementPrivacy PolicyCopyrightGDPR InfoPrivacy ChoiceYour Privacy ChoicesSite Map