The Mulka Project is a collective of highly active artists who work with cutting-edge digital technologies, producing video art that links across land, recording and archiving song and everyday life. These practices range from precise projection mapping, to digital animation and editing. The Mulka Project’s work is a continuation of ‘countless generations of evolving Yolŋu art practice’. Through multiple interweaving film projections, Watami Manikay (Song of the Winds), 2020 presented at the Art Gallery of New South Wales envelops the viewer in a cyclical work formed by the vast Yolŋu film archive managed by Yolŋu law, governance and culture.

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. It is Mulka’s mission to sustain and protect Yolŋu cultural knowledge whilst being managed by Yolŋu law and governance. 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. With state of the art facilities and equipment The Mulka Project collaborates on each artist’s concepts to produce highly developed works for exhibitions nationally and internationally utilising our exceptional expertise in 6k film, animation, VR, 3D modeling, photogrammetry, projection mapping, and sound production.

Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney Courtesy Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala

Contributors:

Wukun Wanambi: Born 1962 in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia Lives and works at Yirrkala, Australia, throughout Australia and the world. Clan: Marrakulu Moiety: Dhuwa Homeland: Gurka’wuy Cultural Director and artist at The Mulka Project

Ishmael Marika: Born 1990 in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Australia, throughout Australia and the world. Clan: Rirratjiŋu Moiety: Dhuwa Homeland: Guluruŋa Creative Director and artist at The Mulka Project

Patrina Munuŋgurr: Born 1988 in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia. Clan: Djapu Moiety: Dhuwa Homeland: Waṉḏawuy Senior Filmmaker and artist at The Mulka Project.

Gutiŋarra Yunupiŋu: Born 1997 in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia. Clan: Gumatj Moiety: Yirritja Homeland: Buymarr Filmmaker and artist at The Mulka Project

Mundatjŋu Munuŋgurr: Born 1997 in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia. Clan: Djapu Moiety: Dhuwa Homeland: Waṉḏawuy Filmmaker and artist at The Mulka Project.

Arian Ganambarr-Pearson: Born 1997 in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia. Clan: Maŋgalili Moiety: Yirritja Homeland: Bawaka Sound Engineer at The Mulka Project.

Siena Mayutu Wurrmarri: Stubbs Born 2002 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia Filmmaker and artist at The Mulka Project

Joseph Brady: Born 1978 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia Program Director at The Mulka Project

Rebecca Charlesworth: Born 1977 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Lives and works in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia Studio Coordinator at The Mulka Project