»About the Artwork

     
  Crab Painting

Gullawun Lee
Artwork Description

"Mud Crab Dreaming"
Mud crabs are an important food source for Indigenous People and is also a clan symbol.

  Crocodile Painting

"Crocodile Dreaming"
(kenbi ben bi) is the Larrakia word for crocodile. Another very powerful symbol for Larrakia people and is the protector of the coast.

  Barramundi Painting

"Barramundi Dreaming"
An important food source for Indigenous People. Also a tropical icon of the Northern Territory.

  Water Lillies Painting

"Water Lillies"
Water Lillies are a part of the natural surroundings and are a valuable source of vegetable food found in billabongs. Often depicted in painting to go with other symbols in the painting.

 

 

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  Gullawan Lee, artist

Daniel Roque Lee
Gullawan

Dob: 28.06.57
Tribal Name: Gullawan
Tribe: Larrakeyah
Area: Darwin

Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra ACT
Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences, Darwin NT

 

Exhibitions
1996 Raintree selected exhibitions "10th year anniversary"
1998 Curator "Spirits of the Dreamings" National Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Sydney NSW
1998 "love magic" Exhibition at Darling Harbour, Sydney
2002 "Durrilla" Exhibition 24 Hour Art, Parap NT
2002 Palmerston Ponds Project, Palmerston NT

Publications
2001 Front cover, Muse, Canberra's art monthly
2001 The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture, Kleinert and Neal., p.626

Acquisitions and Commissions
Northern Territory Museum of Arts 1995 Northern Territory Art Award, "1Pelican Spirit Figures"
Darwin City Council, Mall upgrade, 1998 "Ceramic Mosaic"
Canberra National Museum 2001, "turtle shell-Larrakeyah land claim"

Details
Gullawan, also known as Roque Lee, was born in Darwin and belongs to a highly respected family with 6 brothers and 7 sisters. Roque was educated in Darwin and began his crafting skills at an early age. Roque was taught by his uncles to make traditional spears at an early age. He also learnt the skill of crafting woomeras and didgeridoos but his painting skills were self taught and only developed over the last 10 years after leaving his vocation as a Parks and Wildlife ranger at Kakadu.

Roque paints from the environment where he lives in conjunction with depicting the knowledge and stories passed on to him from his mother. Roque's totems are Rainbow Serpent, mud crab, tiger shark and goanna.

Roque's works can be seen on a number of unusual mediums including sawfish bills, bone, feather and vinyl briefcases. His skill enables him to tackle the most difficult of mediums with precision and ease. Roque now resides in Darwin with his wife and is continuing to pass on his knowledge of his culture to his son.

 

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