“Warwuyun Gurra Wäŋawu (Sorrow for Home)”
Patrina Munuŋgurr and The Mulka Project
13 Nov → 9 Jan 2022

"Now I am speaking Recording my words through the telephone Because I have been gone a long time From my home My work My people" - Patrina Munuŋggurr

West Space is proud to host the premiere of Patrina Munuŋggurr's newly commissioned video work Warwuyun Gurra Wanga'wu (Sorrow for Home), produced in partnership with The Mulka Project. Warwuyun Gurra Wanga'wu (Sorrow for Home) marks Munuŋggurr's first solo exhibition in Melbourne.

In early 2021, for reasons beyond her control, Yolŋu artist Patrina Munuŋggurr was forced into exile from her ancestral homelands. She still has no knowledge of when it will be safe enough for her to return, and she is now based in Darwin. Warwuyun Gurra Wanga'wu (Sorrow for Home) brings together footage filmed by Munuŋggurr in Yirrkala and on Wandawuy country, tied together through a recording she made of her last phone call home, translated from her native Dhuwaya language into English. It is a sorrowful love letter sent home from a foreign place. Warawuyun Gurra Wanga'wu (Sorrow for Home) will be accompanied by online publishing activity, writing workshops, and interviews developed by Maya Hodge and Jenna Rain Warwick.

Public Program

Storytelling Sessions with Jazz Money (mob only)

Tuesday 16 November, West Space, Collingwood Yards.

This project is supported by The Mulka Project, Centre for Projection Art, Agency Project, The Besen Family Foundation, the City of Yarra through their Annual Grants Program, and the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

Warwuyun Gurra Wanga’wu (Sorrow for Home) is powered by Lūpa, with equipment support provided by Composite Media Bank.

Two black curtains have parted slightly to show piece of a film still projected on the gallery wall. The image shows two bodies lying down waring colourful orange, black, yellow, red and dark blue clothing.
Two black curtains have parted slightly to show piece of a film still projected on the gallery wall. The image shows a small gathering of people standing and walking outside on grass and dirt.
A film is projected in a long rectangular shape on the galley wall. The film still pictures a beach with hand prints in white paint layered on top of the image.
A film is projected across the length of the gallery wall in a long rectangular shape. In the film still, a woman walks across the shoreline of a beach, from right to left.
A long rectangular film still is projected on the gallery wall. The image shows smoke coming from a fire outside and a persons legs standing next to it.

Patrina Munuŋggurr is one of the leading cinematographers and post-production technicians at The Mulka Project. In 2017, Munuŋggurr delivered her first television commission for NITV, a documentary titled Wandawuy Dhapi. She also exhibited her first screen-based artwork Gurrkurr Dhalkuma at The Good Shed Gallery. In 2018, Munuŋggurr produced a 6K film work titled, Dhunupa'kum Nhuna Wanda, which was awarded the 2018 NATSIAA Media Award.

The Mulka Project is a collective of practicing multimedia artists, cinematographers, sound engineers and post-production technicians based in Yirrkala, North East Arnhem Land. The name Mulka means a sacred but public ceremony, and, to hold or protect. At the core of The Mulka Project resides a growing, living archive of Yolŋu knowledge, ceremony, and cultural history which gives voice to generations past and also allows contemporary Yolŋu knowledge and law to speak to coming generations and a worldwide audience. The Mulka Project collaborates to produce highly developed works for exhibitions nationally and internationally utilising 6k film, animation, VR, 3D modeling, photogrammetry, projection mapping, and sound production.