Philip Gudthaykudthay

A Yolgnu man best known for his bark paintings and grid-like imagery of the landscapes of his country near Woolen River, Philip has also worked as a stockman, made fences, shot crocodiles for skins and played the sorcerer in Rolf de Heer’s film Ten Canoes.

Born in c.1925 east of Ramingining, Philip started painting at Milingimbi in the 1960s, selling work via the Milingimbi Methodist mission. When the township of Ramingining was set up in his mother’s country Philip moved there to work.  In 1977 the Australia Council funded the position of an arts and craft adviser for the Ramingining Arts Co-operative.

Philip had his first solo exhibition in Sydney in 1983 and is the last active artist from the early Milingimbi school of painters. Examples of Philip's work are held in the National Gallery of Australia, including the first national indigenous art triennial, the MCA and most Australian state galleries.  

In 2006 Philip was granted an $80 000 fellowship from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council.

Philip has been chosen as of the spotlighted artists in Australia's first national Indigenous art triennial.

I’m botj (boss) here. Ramingining. My mother. Me bungguwa (leader), from my mother (for) Marrawalwal (Red Kangaroo tribe), marrabal (kangaroo), gandayala (kangaroo) [stories]. My mother here.

Me, number one painter … Right up from … Milingimbi, Ngangalala, Ramingining, Maningrida, now come here, Ramingining. Stop here. Number one painter here.'

Statement taken from Philip Gudthaykudthay, interview with Belinda Scott, March 2007. Courtesy of the NGA.