18 Facts About Owen Yalandja

Owen Yalandja was born on 1961 and is Aboriginal Australian carver, painter and singer of the Kuninjku people from western Arnhem Land, Australia.

Owen Yalandja is a senior member of the Dangkorlo clan, which means that he has the responsibility to be custodians of a yawkyawk site in the Mirrayar billabong.

Owen Yalandja was known for his singing at the yawkyawk ceremonies, as well as his carved representations of the yawkyawk spirits.

Owen Yalandja learned the foundations of his carving techniques from his father, Crusoe Kuningbal.

Owen Yalandja's artwork held ceremonial and sacred meanings, and they were used in a public Kuninjky ceremony called Mamurrng.

Since 2014, Owen Yalandja has lived at the Barrihdjowkkeng outstation which was established by his father, close to the yawkyawk site.

Owen Yalandja's father was known for a red painted background, and while some of Yalandja's figures use this background colour, he is well-known for his black background figures.

Owen Yalandja is known to specialize in thin, waving, and large structures, making the figure appear sensuous and beautiful.

Owen Yalandja captures the spirits' slender, undulating bodies of by selecting pieces of curved wood that show a sense of movement.

Owen Yalandja created lorrkkon for art market, painting the log with the same technique he created for the scales of the yawkyawks.

Owen Yalandja's work is held in most significant Australian collections as well as the British Museum, the Hood Museum and the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia.

Owen Yalandja won the Bark Painting Award at the 2023 NATSIAA awards.

When Owen Yalandja's father died he truly began his artistic journey.

Owen Yalandja started experimenting with the painted designs and use of colour and, while his brother Kurddal continued carving mimih, Owen Yalandja began carving yawk yawk.

Owen Yalandja only did mimih spirit figures and when I first started as an artist I used to make mimih figures as well.

When Owen Yalandja creates his sculptures he only uses kurrajong wood.

Owen Yalandja is using a different medium than a lot of other aboriginal artists and that sets him apart.

Owen Yalandja is well known for his use of dots and he represents the dots on the body of the Yawk Yawk.