Aboriginal Fine Art

Tribe: Wagilak

Area: Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Born: circa 1946

Biography:

Sambo Burra Burra also known as Djambu Barra Barra, is regarded as one of the leading Ngukurr artists. Sambo uses various bark painting techniques of the area, namely crosshatching and x-ray style. His stories are of epic hunts, mortuary and circumcision Dreamings and other men’s stories. Sambo’s wife is another recognised Ngukurr artist, Amy Johnson Jirwulurr.
Sambo’s paintings depict the killing and handling of large game that must be undertaken according to prescribed ritual procedures. As a hunter and meat provider, Sambo is as an acute observer of nature and the animals are accurately drawn, complete with internal organs which have ritual meaning.

Collections:

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin