Murungkurr Terry Murray

'The paintings of Terry Murray carefully draw upon ancestral knowledges that he and his family are responsible for, resting particularly on the Walmajarri iconography of the jila. These precious, permanent water sources are brought to the surface through ceremony – the snake spirit is not so much represented figuratively as embodied and evoked by the work.'  Michael Bonner, Curator, Jintulu: People of the Sun, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, The Univeristy of Western Australia, 17 February  - 24 April 2024, for Perth festival 2024.

Walmajarri man Murungkurr Terry Murray lived on Cherrabun Station in a tin shelter when he was a child. His family had no vehicle so they went hunting on foot. Murungkurr has a strong grounding in bush skills, which he learnt from his parents. He paints his jaja [grandfather] and japi’s [grandmother’s] country, Wirnpa and Japingka in the southwestern side of the Great Sandy Desert. This area is known as jila [permanent waterhole] country. His mother and brothers lived around there when they were kids. Murungkurr has strong family connections to a significant group of Mangkaja Arts artists and knows his law and family relationships through his skin group. He explains, ‘Our culture is an everyday learning thing. I grew up with this. You have to have a strong mind and strong spirit and soul and always listen to your elders’.