Kurun Warun / Pakup Yallandar (Fire Stick) (19417)

Kurun Warun (Hissing Swan) is from Gunditjmara country in South Western Victoria. Guditjmara country is bordered by the Hopkins River to the east, the Southern Ocean to the south, Mt Dundas and Mortlake in the north and the Glenelg River in the west. Kurun’s matrilineal heritage can be traced directly to Truganini, the last living Tasmanian Queen. He is a dedicated painter who was initially tutored and encouraged by his mother, also an artist who was a student of three time Archibald Prize winner, Clifton Pugh.

Born in 1966, Kurun first exhibited his works at the very young age of eight and sees his work as traditional Aboriginal stories presented in contemporary form. All of his works have a traditional significance and incorporate certain symbols used with the permission of Guditjmara Tribal elders. The surface narrative elements, known as the paintings “story” or “Dreamings” are one of the many layers of the paintings meaning. His imagery has a deep cultural resonance that often defies simple interpretation. While only the initiated can truly understand the significance of these works, other viewers intuitively feel the power and beauty of this spiritual resonance and enjoy the journey of discovery over time.

Kurun Warun was also leader of Aboriginal dance troupe, Toolumby Waddama who toured the world presenting their unique style of dance. Kurun’s art, dance and didgeridoo playing changed his life and broadened his horizons — he has performed in Rome, Milan and Korea and was a featured artist in Sydney for the 2000 Olympic Games. He has appeared on NBC television in America and has demonstrated his unique didgeridoo sound for Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former US President, Bill Clinton and more recently for Oprah Winfrey at the Sydney Opera House.

Kurun resides with his wife, two sons, and daughter in the Noosa Hinterland region of Queensland.

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
• Netherlands Embassy
• Cambridge University, UK
• The Edge, Auckland
• Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
• Vatican Museum Collection
• Prince of Saudi Arabia – Private Collection
• Oprah Winfrey – Private Collection
• Pierce Brosnan – Private Collection
• Michael Schumacher – Private Collection
• Prime Minister of Turkey – Private Collection

THE KURUN WARUN STORY

I (Kurun Warun) had my first exhibition, alongside my mother when I was 8 years old.

In my later years, I developed my own style using the inspiration of the natural elements that surrounded me. Elements such as slow-moving rivers, the stones underneath them, and the eels that swim through them. The dust of the earth. The sea and the creatures that swim in it.

My aboriginal dot paintings have a traditional meaning, which is not always immediately noticed, but within the colours, lines, and space, you can see an underlying story. My use of contrast is done so that the overall piece is left striking but peaceful.

Being a family man, my paintings tell stories of my childhood and of my own children.

My mother came from the Framlingham Mission near Warnambool, and this is the mission my relative Archie Roach sang about. My mother was the one who trained and inspired me to be an artist. This means a lot to me, and that’s why I love teaching my children.

I appreciate my heritage, and I am privileged to be the fifth generation from the Truganini Queen of Tasmania.

My work has caught international interest and has become collectables for people as diverse as Oprah and the Prince of Saudi Arabia.

While my main work is now painting, I also like playing the didgeridoo and dancing. I have performed for many people around the world and international guests.

Overall, I love and appreciate my family and the natural world around me. This is shared in my artwork.

In this painting Kurun Warun has painted a single fire stick. They were used either together or with another piece of hardwood timber to start a fire. You would rub the sticks like a saw or drill, and after some friction and blowing on the char, it would glow, and you would have a fire.
The Fire Stick is significant to aboriginal people because it sparked light, warmth and food, which means life. Two sticks are required to spark a fire, but Kurun Warun has depicted just one as a reflection of himself in solitude.