Djon Mundine (born 1951) is an

Aboriginal Australian Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands. Humans first migrated to Australia 50,000 to 65,000 year ...

artist, curator, activist and writer. He is a member of the

Bundjalung people The Bundjalung people, also spelled Bunjalung, Badjalang and Bandjalang, are Aboriginal Australians who are the original custodians of a region from around Grafton, New South Wales, Grafton in northern coastal New South Wales to Beaudesert, Que ...

of northern

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

. He is known for having conceived the 1988 work ''

Aboriginal Memorial The ''Aboriginal Memorial'' is a work of contemporary Indigenous Australian art from the late 1980s, and comprises 200 decorated hollow log coffins (also known as memorial poles, dupun, ḻarrakitj and other terms). It was conceived by Djon Mu ...

'', on display at the

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art is an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in ...

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

Early life

Djon was born in

Grafton, New South Wales Grafton ( Bundjalung: ''Gumbin Gir'') is a city in the Northern Rivers region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is located on the Clarence River, on a floodplain, approximately by road north-northeast of the state capital Sydney. ...

in 1951. He was born 6th of 11 children to Roy Mundine and Olive Bridgette Mundine (nee Donovan). John's father Roy was a union stockman, and Olive's father had joined the first

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

political party, the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association, in the 1920s. His family was very poor growing up, but he credits his father with encouraging the children to think: "I suppose you're not supposed to talk about sex and politics and religion at the table, but he'd get us to talk about whatever was in the papers." He is the elder brother of former politician Nyunggai Warren Mundine. His family later moved to Sydney in 1963, where he attended Marist Brothers schools in Auburn and Parramatta. He is a Wehbal man from the West Bundjalung nation, from the

Northern Rivers Northern Rivers is the most northeasterly Regions of New South Wales, region of the Australian state of New South Wales, located between north of the state capital, Sydney, and encompasses the catchments and fertile valleys of the Clarence Ri ...

. He is also a descendant of the

Yuin The Yuin nation, also spelt Djuwin, is a group of Aboriginal Australians, Australian Aboriginal peoples from the South Coast (New South Wales), South Coast of New South Wales. All Yuin people share ancestors who spoke, as their first language, ...

people. Mundine spent his early life in South Grafton. He was exposed to the traditions of

Aboriginal art Indigenous Australian art includes art made by Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, including collaborations with others. It includes works in a wide range of media including painting on leaves, bark painting, wood carving, ro ...

and technique from a young age. In 1963, his family settled in the western Sydney suburb of Auburn. Mundine went to the Marist Brothers College then called Benedict College, and went on to commence study at

Macquarie University Macquarie University ( ) is a Public university, public research university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the Sydney metropolitan area. ...

Art career

After deciding that college was not the right path for him, he became an art adviser at Milingimbi Art Centre2020 Red Ochre Award
Australia Council as art and craft advisor at

Milingimbi Milingimbi Island, also Yurruwi, is the largest island of the Crocodile Islands group off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. Location Milingimbi lies approximately east of Darwin and west of Nhulunbuy. History Aborig ...

in the

Crocodile Islands The Crocodile Islands are a group of islands belonging to the Yan-nhaŋu people of the Northern Territory of Australia. They are located off the coast of Arnhem Land in the Arafura Sea. As of 2023 the Crocodile Islands are protected as part of ...

in 1979, and afterwards as

curator A curator (from , meaning 'to take care') is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the particular ins ...

and adviser at

Bula'Bula Arts Ramingining is an Aboriginal Australian community of mainly Yolngu people in the Northern Territory, Australia, east of Darwin. It is on the edge of the Arafura Swamp in Arnhem Land. Wulkabimirri is a tiny outstation (homeland) nearby, and Mu ...

Ramingining Ramingining is an Aboriginal Australian community of mainly Yolngu people in the Northern Territory, Australia, east of Darwin. It is on the edge of the Arafura Swamp in Arnhem Land. Wulkabimirri is a tiny outstation (homeland) nearby, and M ...

, in

Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territorial capital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compa ...

, for 16 years. There he conceived of the concept for the famous ''

'', which is on permanent display at the

National Gallery of Australia The National Gallery of Australia (NGA), formerly the Australian National Gallery, is the national art museum of Australia as well as one of the largest art museums in Australia, holding more than 166,000 works of art. Located in Canberra in th ...

From 1979 to 1995, Mundine lived and worked in remote Aboriginal communities including Ramingining, Milingimbi, and Maningrida, where he served as an art adviser. He has described this period as formative, likening it to a spiritual pilgrimage that shaped his curatorial vision.Rick Feneley. 2012. “Art’s Man of Reckoning.” Sydney Morning Herald, The, November 10. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=n5h&AN=SYD-67F0IU107CW1C7J7E81W&site=eds-live. Mundine is particularly well-known for his work as the concept artist and producer of the ''

''. This is a work of

contemporary Indigenous Australian art Contemporary Indigenous Australian art is the modern art work produced by Indigenous Australians, that is, Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander people. It is generally regarded as beginning in 1971 with a painting movement that star ...

comprising 200 decorated

hollow log coffin A memorial pole, also known as hollow log coffin, burial pole, lorrkkon, ḻarrakitj, or ḏupun, is a hollow tree trunk decorated with elaborate designs, made by the Yolngu and Bininj peoples of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Aust ...

s, offered as a commemoration of the

Australian Bicentenary The bicentenary of Australia was celebrated in 1988. It marked 200 years since the arrival of the First Fleet of British convict ships at Sydney in 1788. History The bicentennial year marked Captain Arthur Phillip's arrival with the 11 ships ...

celebrations in 1988; the log coffins represent 200 years of European occupation of Australia. Their design directly references the traditional hollow log mortuary ceremony of Central Arnhem Land, commemorates those

Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

who died as a result of European settlement. The work was realised by 43 artists from

and neighbouring communities of Central

, in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

, including

David Malangi David Malangi (192719 June 1999), also known as David Malangi Daymirringu, nicknamed Dollar Dave, was an Indigenous Australian Yolngu artist from the Northern Territory. He was one of the most well-known bark painters from Arnhem Land and a si ...

, George Milpurrurru, and

Philip Gudthaykudthay Philip Gudthaykudthay (pronounced "g'day, g'day"; 1935 or earlier – October 2022), also known as Pussycat, was an Aboriginal Australian artist. His work is held in many public galleries in Australia and internationally, including the British ...

. It was acquired by the

, where it is on permanent display. Its first exhibition was at the

Sydney Biennale The Biennale of Sydney is an international festival of contemporary art, held every two years in Sydney, Australia. It is a large and well-attended contemporary visual arts event in the country. Alongside the Venice Biennale, Venice and São Pa ...

in 1988, and it has travelled to various galleries around the world over the years. ''The Native Born'' (1996, MCA), was an exhibition and publication showing ceremonial and utilitarian weaving and artistic work from Ramingining community. This led to the inclusion of artists such as Robyn Djunginy in the 1998

. ''They are Meditating: Bark Paintings from the Museum of Contemporary Art's Arnott Collection'' (2008) was another major exhibition, which consisted of over 200 objects from the Ramingining Collection. He divided the collection between six different environments in the Ramingining area : ''Larrtha'puy'' (

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...

s), ''Diltjipuy'' (forests); ''Gulunbuy'' (waterholes); ''Retjapuy'' (jungles); ''Rangipuy''(beaches); and ''Ninydjiyapuy'' (plains). Mundine honoured the intricate kinship system of Aboriginal culture by using pieces that not only depicted objects in nature, but also represented the histories and social structures of Aboriginal Australia. In 2008, Mundine created an exhibition called ''Etched in the Sun''. The exhibition was organised held at

Drill Hall Gallery The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university and member of the Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition ...

. It consisted of several fine art prints representing years of collaboration between Aboriginal artists and fine art printers. Artwork made between 1997 and 2007 by Indigenous artists such as

Judy Watson Judy Watson (born 1959) is an Australian Waanyi multi-media artist who works in print-making, painting, video and installation. Her work often examines Indigenous Australian histories, and she has received a number of high-profile commissio ...

Banduk Marika Banduk Mamburra Wananamba Marika (13 October 1954 – 12 July 2021), known after her death as Dr B Marika, was an artist, printmaker and environmental activist from Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia, who was dedicated to the developme ...

, and

Jean Baptiste Apuatimi Jean Baptiste Apuatimi (1940–2013) was a significant Tiwi Islands, Tiwi Island artist whose work is held at most major and several minor Australian galleries and the British Museum. Her works were first exhibited in 1991 in group shows. From 19 ...

were included. Another exhibition that he curated in 2008 was the ''Ngadhu, ngulili, ngeaninyagu: a personal history of Aboriginal art in the Premier State''. It was held at the

Campbelltown Arts Centre Campbelltown Arts Centre (CAC) is a multidisciplinary contemporary arts centre located in Campbelltown, New South Wales, south west of Sydney, Australia. History and description Campbelltown Arts Centre opened in 2005, located on the traditional ...

, and included work from artists like Brooke Andrew,

Bronwyn Bancroft Bronwyn Bancroft (born 1958) is an Aboriginal Australian artist, administrator, book illustrator, and among the first three Australian fashion designers to show their work in Paris. She was born in Tenterfield, New South Wales, and trained i ...

, and Badger Bates. In 2017, Djon Mundine curated Four Women: (I Do Belong) Double at the Lismore Regional Gallery. Inspired by Nina Simone’s song “Four Women,” the exhibition examined the complex identities, histories, and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Mundine brought together a range of contemporary artists including Karla Dickens, Fiona Foley, Romaine Moreton, and Wart to explore themes of resilience, cultural belonging, and political resistance. The exhibition emphasized the diversity of Blak womanhood through visual art, performance, and multimedia. It challenged stereotypes and celebrated lived experience. In 2020 Mundine won the

Australia Council Creative Australia, formerly known as the Australia Council for the Arts and the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announ ...

Red Ochre Award The Red Ochre Award is an annual art award for Indigenous Australian artists. Background and description The Red Ochre Award was established in 1993 by the Australia Council for the Arts. It is awarded annually to an outstanding Indigenous A ...

for Lifetime Achievement. In 2022, Mundine led "The Dabee Family Choir Mural Project." The project originated from the Jimmy and Peggy Lambert Memorial Mural in Kandos Museum. It was created to honour the lives of Jimmy and Peggy, who were survivors of the Dabee Massacre in 1823. For the exhibition, Mundine had over 60 descendants finger-paint Peggy and Jimmy's images. Mundine has been working on the Dingo Project, an exhibition he curated for Ngununggula, which looks into the spiritual mythology and the history of the ancestral

dingo The dingo (either included in the species ''Canis familiaris'', or considered one of the following independent taxa: ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient (basal (phylogenetics), basal) lineage ...

es. The project also features works from artists such as

Karla Dickens Karla Dickens (born 2 December 1967) is an Aboriginal Australian installation artist of the Wiradjuri people, based in Lismore, New South Wales. Her works are in major public collections in Australia. Early life and education Dickens was bor ...

, Fiona Foley, and Daniel Boyd. Mundine continues to work as an independent curator of contemporary First Nations art, and as cultural mentor for fellow First Nations artists. He has been working on Ngununggula's second Entry Pavilion Commission. The Entry Pavilion Commission is an annual initiative in celebrating

Gundungurra language The Gandangara people, also spelled Gundungara, Gandangarra, Gundungurra and other variations, are an Aboriginal Australian people in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Their traditional lands include present day Goulburn, Wollondilly Sh ...

, culture, and history. The exhibition is set to launch on 22 October 2023 and will be open for the public until 26 November.

Other activities

Along with working at the arts centres, Mundine played a significant role in the community and worked with many regional and community-based organisations across Australia. Mundine has always been dedicated to his culture and community, and joined the Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists (ANKAAA) as one of its founding members in 1987. He has also held curatorial posts at several institutions, including the

Art Gallery of NSW The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), founded as the New South Wales Academy of Art in 1872 and known as the National Art Gallery of New South Wales between 1883 and 1958, is located in The Domain, Sydney, Australia. It is the most import ...

, and the

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), formerly the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, is located on George Street, Sydney, George Street in The Rocks, Sydney, The Rocks neighbourhood of Sydney. The museum is housed in the Stripped Cl ...

. Mundine is known in the Aboriginal community for his work and beliefs. As an author, Mundine is able to express his beliefs about art and stay relevant. Mundine often uses his pieces of writing as a means to look deeper into art, past its mediums and origins. In 2001, Djon Mundine co-authored "Passion, Rich Collectors and the Export Dollar: The Selling of Aboriginal Art Overseas" with Felicity Wright. The essay critically examines the global commercialization of Aboriginal art, highlighting the tension between gaining international exposure and preserving the cultural integrity of Indigenous Australian works. Mundine critiques how Aboriginal art is often shaped to meet Western expectations, which can lead to misrepresentation and cultural distortion. The piece advocates for more ethical, informed approaches to selling and promoting Aboriginal art on the global stage. Between 2005 and 2006 Mundine was a research professor at the National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) in

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

, Japan. In 2012, Mundine curated Bungaree: The First Australian at Mosman Art Gallery, featuring 15 Indigenous artists exploring the legacy and myth of Bungaree, an Aboriginal man who circumnavigated Australia with Matthew Flinders. The exhibition examined themes of representation, identity, and historical memory, highlighting Bungaree's role as a cultural intermediary and public figure. Known as the "King of Broken Bay," Bungaree was a celebrity in colonial Sydney, often depicted wearing a red military coat, sometimes without clothing underneath. He was the subject of 18 known portraits, compared to only a few of Governor Macquarie, and may have been the first person referred to in print as "an Australian." In October 2023, ahead of the

2023 Australian referendum The 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum was a constitutional referendum held on 14October 2023 in which the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice was rejected. Voters were asked to approve an alteration to the Australia ...

on the

Indigenous Voice to Parliament The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the First Nations Voice or simply the Voice, was a proposed Australian federal advisory body to comprise Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal a ...

, Mundine spoke in support of the Yes vote on

SBS Television The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is an Australian hybrid-funded public service broadcaster. About 80 percent of funding for the company is derived from tax revenue. SBS operates six TV channels ( SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World Movies, SBS ...

discussion programme ''

Insight Insight is the understanding of a specific causality, cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings: *a piece of information *the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of se ...

''. He had not discussed this opinion with his brother Nyunggai Warren Mundine, who is one of the leaders of the No campaign. In a 2024 article in the Journal of Australian Studies, Djon Mundine described how, in Aboriginal cosmology, flashes of white light or rainbow refractions in nature, such as in reptiles, insects, or fish, are signs of divine presence. He connected this imagery to the ongoing cycle of life and death and the spiritual continuity between the living and the ancestors. His perspective reinforces the idea that Aboriginal art is not only a form of visual expression but also a cosmological and cultural practice grounded in memory, nature, and belief. Djon Mundine, as Senior Indigenous Consultant Curator at the Queensland Art Gallery, played a key role in curating and reflecting on the work of Michael Riley, a pioneering Aboriginal photographer and filmmaker. Mundine has written about Riley’s ability to blend personal history, spirituality, and political insight through both photography and film. He highlighted works like Sacrifice and Cloud, noting their significance in expressing internal spiritual struggle and broader Indigenous experience. Mundine’s engagement with Riley’s art contributes to ongoing recognition of Aboriginal artists whose work bridges tradition, identity, and contemporary visual culture. Known for his sharp and provocative essays, Mundine often blends pop culture with critical commentary, referencing works like Zoolander and Moby-Dick to critique representations of Aboriginal identity and vanity in contemporary art.

Honours and awards

*1993:

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of then ...

, "for service to the promotion and development of Aboriginal arts, crafts and culture" *2005-2006: PhD candidate at National College of Art and Design *2015: Level 2 winner, Indigenous Project or Keeping Place, for ''Bungaree’s Farm'' at

Mosman Art Gallery Mosman Art Gallery is the main public art gallery for the Mosman area on the north shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland ...

, at the

Australian Museums and Galleries Association The Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA), formerly Museums Galleries Australia and Museums Australia, is the national professional organisation and peak council for museums and public art galleries in Australia. It advocates for ...

MAGNA Awards *2016: Best in Heritage Conference,

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...

, showcased entry and finalist, ''Bungaree’s Farm'' *2017: Inaugural Power Publications Award for Indigenous Art Writing, for his essay "The Aboriginal Memorial: Australia's Forgotten War". *2020:

Australia Council for the Arts Creative Australia, formerly known as the Australia Council for the Arts and the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announ ...

Other roles

* 2020 Patron, King & Wood Mallesons Contemporary First Nation Art Award& Wood Mallesons Contemporary First Nation Art Prize
/ref> * 2018 Patron: King & Wood Mallesons Contemporary First Nation Art Prize * 2018 Judge: Woollahra Small Sculpture Award * 2007 Judge:

Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award The National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA) is Australia's longest running Indigenous art award. Established in 1984 as the National Aboriginal Art Award by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin ...

* 2000 Judge: ''The Art of Place'': The 5th National Indigenous Heritage Art Awards, Australian Heritage Commission * 1993 Curator:

Bayside Council Bayside Council is a Local government in New South Wales, local government area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located around part of Botany Bay, to south of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD. It includes 29 subu ...

First Nations Art Competition * 1988 Judge: Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award * 1985-87 Aboriginal Art Adviser,

Artbank Artbank is an Australian art rental program established in 1980 by the Australian Government. The program supports contemporary Australian Visual artists, artists by purchasing their Art, artworks and renting them to public and private sector cli ...

* 1996 Judge: Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award

Writings

*1992-''Tyerabarrbowaryaou : I shall never become a white man / urators, Fiona Foley and Djon Mundine', published book, Museum of Contemporary Art *1996,2000-''The Native Born: Objects and Representations From Ramingining, Arnhem Land - Mundine, Djon; Murphy, Bernice; Rudder, John'', published book, Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney, N.S.W.) *2005-''Parliament of New South Wales Indigenous Art Prize - Perkins, Hetti; Mundine, Djon; Munro, Keith; Andrews, Yvette'', book; government document, New South Wales *200
''Deacon-structing Destiny'', Essay, for Clandestine [exhibition
- Destiny Deacon and Virginia Fraser, Tandanya, Adelaide Arts Festival">xhibition">''Deacon-structing Destiny'', Essay, for Clandestine [exhibition
- Destiny Deacon and Virginia Fraser, Tandanya, Adelaide Arts Festivalbr>Opening talk by Djon Mundine OAM: ''Twined,'' on Robyn Djunginy and Karen Mills
ref> *2012-''Bungaree: the first Australian - Djon Mundine'', published book, Mosman Art Gallery *2012
Shadowlife
*201
''Whisper in My Mask,'' Book, Artlink
*201
''Aboriginal performance art: How bizarre!,'' Essay, Artlink
*201
''The Aboriginal Memorial to Australia's forgotten war'', Essay, Artlink
*2015
Bungaree-A Man in Space
*201
''Woman on the Dunes'', Fiona Foley, Interview, Artlink
*201
''The Masque Ball of Tracey Moffatt'', Australian Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale, Review, Artlink
*2017-''Lucky Country - Adam Hill aka Blak Douglas'', catalogue essay, the 2017 Triennale, NGA *201
''Four Women (I do belong) Double'', Catalogue essay, Lismore Art Gallery, pp.6-9
*2018-''The Road to Bentinck Island: Sally and Her Sisters – Sally and Her Daughters'', The Indigenous Story Project *201
''Archie Moore 1970-2018'', Review, Artlink
*201
''Politico-Magic-Realism, Destiny Deacon'', Short Essay
*201
''Blak Lik Mi'', Blak Queensland Portraits, Cairns Art Gallery
*201
''Who Are These Strangers and Where Are They Going'', catalogue Essay, Fiona Foley, Ballarat International Foto Bienal.

Exhibitions

Boards, committees and associations

References

External links

*
Bungarees Farm - Mosman Art GalleryParliament of New South Wales Aboriginal Art Prize
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mundine, Djon Living people People from New South Wales Bundjalung people Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia 1951 births Indigenous Australian artists