Untitled (Mimih Spirits)
Artist:
Unknown
Place made:Northern Territory, Australia
General region:Oceania
Culture: Indigenous Australians
Date: ca. 2000-2010
Medium: Wood with natural ochre pigments
Dimensions:
h. 43 in. (109.2 cm)
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of the Lam Family
Object number: 2016.14.19.1
Provenance: May Lam and Dr. Dorothy Lam, by gift to San Antonio Museum of Art, 2016
Label Text
These elongated, spindly creatures are mimih (or mimi) spirits that inhabit the rocky bluffs of western Arnhem Land. Their slender form allows them to traverse rocky crevices between the mimih realm and the human world. The mimihs’ sly grimaces suggest their mischievous nature. Rock paintings depicting mimih, dating back at least fifteen thousand years, show the spirits engaged in profane activities. Mimih are also credited with teaching Aboriginal people how to hunt, cook, paint, sing, and dance.
Crusoe Kuningbal (Kuninjku, ca. 1922–1984) began representing mimih sculpturally during the 1960s, when he introduced life-sized carvings to his performances of the Mamurrng ceremony. A trade ceremony to foster friendly relations with people from other language groups, Mamurrng evokes the mimih spirit through humor, song, and dance. Kuningbal was the only artist producing work of this kind until the 1980s; however, today hundreds of artists from various language groups create mimih sculptures. Kuningbal’s signature style of a red base with white dotting is still popular and seen on several figures in this gallery.
(Exhibition group label, 2017)
Crusoe Kuningbal (Kuninjku, ca. 1922–1984) began representing mimih sculpturally during the 1960s, when he introduced life-sized carvings to his performances of the Mamurrng ceremony. A trade ceremony to foster friendly relations with people from other language groups, Mamurrng evokes the mimih spirit through humor, song, and dance. Kuningbal was the only artist producing work of this kind until the 1980s; however, today hundreds of artists from various language groups create mimih sculptures. Kuningbal’s signature style of a red base with white dotting is still popular and seen on several figures in this gallery.
(Exhibition group label, 2017)
Not on view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
