Bruce Nabegeyo
Australian Aboriginal Artist
Bruce Nabegeyo Also known as: Bakawinga Date of Birth: c1949 Date of Death: May 2009 Region: Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) Outstation / Country: Namokardabu Language: Kunwinjku Language Group: Mayali Social Affiliations: Yirritja moiety, Nawamud
Collections:
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
South Australian Museum, Adelaide.
The Holmes a Court Collection, Perth.
Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, Darwin.
Group Exhibitions:
1987, The Fourth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1990, Tagari Lia: My Family, Contemporary Aboriginal Art 1990 -from Australia, Third Eye Centre, Glasgow, UK
1993, The Tenth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1994, The Eleventh National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1995, The Twelfth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1996, The Thirteenth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
2000, Australian Heritage Commission's 5th National Indigenous Art Award.
Selected Biography:
Aboriginal Arts Management Association, 1990, Contemporary
Aboriginal Art 1990 - from Australia (presented by the Aboriginal
Arts Committee, Australia Council and Third Eye Centre, Glasgow), exhib. cat., Redfern, New South Wales. (C)
Caruana, W., 1993, Aboriginal Art, Thames and Hudson, London. (C)
Isaacs, J., 1989, Australian Aboriginal Paintings, Weldon Publishing, New South Wales.
1994, Kunwinjku Art from Injalak 1991-1992, The John W. Kluge Commission, Museum Arts International Pty. Ltd., North Adelaide.
1999, Contemporary paintings from Western Arnhem Land, Flinders Art Museum, Flinders University, Adelaide.
� Discovery Media, Documentation Pty Ltd, and the Australian
Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Notes:
Bruce was born in the bush at Makanarlarl - Mungung, near Mount Borradaile, north of Oenpelli, NT. Bruce went to school in Oenpelli and has lived there for most of his life. He was taught to paint by his father Bilinyara Nabegeyo, a renowned artist, when he was about twelve. Bruce learnt to grind ochre and paint on bark. The Nabegeyo family is artistic, with Bruce's brother Mukguddu and son Elijah both accomplished artists. His father's country is Mandilbaneng. His mother's country is Mumeka. Bruce is a great narrative painter.
He paints great evil faces on Namorrodoh, the spirit devil. He tends to work alone on his paintings. Bruce has travelled to Darwin on numerous occasions for the openings of exhibitions. Bruce is married with 2 children. He is a ceremony man and has the great responsibilities that go with it. He also sings many of the ceremonial songs and has recently recorded some of his songs on CD.