Tolarno Galleries Melbourne

28/05/2026

Brent Harris’ ‘Writing poems to the moon’

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18/05/2026

16/05/2026

✨Coming soon. Brent Harris’ ‘Writing poems to the moon’.

Opening 1-3pm Saturday 23 May 2026

Image:
‘Poem to the moon no. 4’ 2026
oil on linen
101 cm x 76 cm

15/05/2026

This work represents Garrimala, a billabong near the artists’ residence - the Dhaḻwaŋu clan homeland at Gäṉgaṉ in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Guruwuy’s mother Malaluba developed the structure of this design in different tones, but it was left alone for some years after her death. In 2022 Guruwuy began to paint in this genre again. Garrimala is a sacred site for her grandmother’s Gälpu clan. But this imagery really refers to perhaps the oldest continuous human religious iconographical practice - the story of the Rainbow Serpent. Estimates vary from 40,000 - 60,000 years on the depiction of the Rainbow Serpent in West Arnhem rock shelters.

Witj is the all-powerful rainbow serpent (olive python) that travelled through Gälpu clan lands during early times called Waŋarr. Djaykuŋ the Javanese file snake is a companion and possibly alternate incarnation of Witj, living in amongst the Dhatam, or waterlillies, causing ripples and rainbows (Djari) on the surface of the water.

The story of Witj is of storm and monsoon, in the ancestral past. It has particular reference to the mating of Witj during the beginning of the wet season when the Djarrwa (square shaped thundercloud) begin forming and the lightning starts striking.

Last chance to see ‘Guwarguwarmirri - Colours of the Rainbow’ this Saturday 16 May 1-4pm.

Image:
Guruwuy Murrinyina
‘Garrimala’ 2025
3293-25
Bark Painting
232 x 101 cm

14/05/2026

This mighty Larrakitj by Djurrayun Murrinya is more than 3 metres high. It’s on display in ‘Guwarguwarmirri - Colours of the Rainbow’ until Saturday 16 May.

Djurrayun is a member of the Djarrwark clan. She lives in Gangan, a remote community in East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Using brushes she has made from her own hair, she has painted the sacred clan design of this saltwater country onto her Larrakitj. It is marked by the straight and parallel ribbons representing saltwater itself!

Images:
Djurrayun Murrinyina
‘Djarrwark’ 2023
6661-23
Larrakitj
321 x 23 cm

13/05/2026

This work represents Garrimala, a billabong near the artist’s residence, the Dhaḻwaŋu clan homeland at Gäṉgaṉ. Guruwuy’s mother Malaluba developed the structure of this design in different tones but it was left alone for some years after her death. In 2022 Guruwuy began to paint in this genre again. It is a sacred site for the artistis mother’s mother’s Gälpu clan. But this imagery really refers to perhaps the oldest continuous human religious iconographical practice- the story of the Rainbow Serpent. Estimates vary from 40,000-6,000 years on the depictions of the Rainbow Serpent in West Arnhem rock shelters.

Expanding the palette beyond the template of four primary Yolŋu colours - black, red, yellow and white - allows the story to come alive. The prismatic shimmer of the snake scales or the stagnant billabong mirrors the colours of the rainbow. In this case Wititj- the Rainbow Serpent. In technicolour!
An old song in a fresh key.

Image:
Detail of
Guruwuy Murrinyina
‘Dhatam’ 2025
1038-26
Bark Painting
73 cm x 41 cm

12/05/2026

This imagery refers to perhaps the oldest continuous human religious iconographical practice- the story of the Rainbow Serpent. Estimates vary from 40,000-60,000 years on the depictions of the Rainbow Serpent in West Arnhem rock shelters.

Expanding the palette beyond the template of four primary Yolŋu colours - black, red, yellow and white - allows the story to come alive. The prismatic shimmer of the snake scales or the stagnant billabong mirrors the colours of the rainbow. In this case Wititj- the Rainbow Serpent. In technicolour!
An old song in a fresh key.

Images:
Details of
Guruwuy Murrinyina
‘Dhatam’ 2025
3721-25
Bark Painting
67 x 47.5 cm

and

Guruwuy Murrinyina
‘Dhatam’ 2025
3722-25
Bark Painting
83 x 38 cm

12/05/2026

This imagery refers to perhaps the oldest continuous human religious iconographical practice- the story of the Rainbow Serpent. Estimates vary from 40,000-60,000 years on the depictions of the Rainbow Serpent in West Arnhem rock shelters.

Expanding the palette beyond the template of four primary Yolŋu colours - black, red, yellow and white - allows the story to come alive. The prismatic shimmer of the snake scales or the stagnant billabong mirrors the colours of the rainbow. In this case Wititj- the Rainbow Serpent. In technicolour!
An old song in a fresh key.

Images:
Details of
Guruwuy Murrinyina
‘Dhatam’ 2025
3721-25
Bark Painting
67 x 47.5 cm

and

Guruwuy Murrinyina
‘Dhatam’ 2025
3722-25
Bark Painting
83 x 38 cm

Guruwuy and Djurrayun Murrinyina
‘Guwarguwarmirri – Colours of the Rainbow’

Until 16 May 2026

08/05/2026

✨Now Open! Guruwuy and Djurrayun Murrinyina ‘Guwarguwarmirri – Colours of the Rainbow’

Until 16 May 2026

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