David Gulpilil celebrated in new Adelaide mural

A striking new piece of public art celebrates the legacy of actor David Gulpilil AM in both the early and later stages of his career.

A new hand-painted mural celebrates the life and legacy of Yolŋu actor, dancer, singer and painter, David Gulpilil AM. The two large hand-painted black and white images of the iconic performer can be found on the east wall of TANDANYA National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, on Kaurna Country, Adelaide.

The permanent work was designed by South Australian artist, Ngarrindjeri man Thomas Readett, who painted it over three days together with Apparition Media artist Laura Jackson. Apparition are an outdoor advertising agency specialising in hand painted imagery that, according to their website, ‘blurs the line between advertising and art.’ They are the outfit behind the famous Adam Goodes mural in Sydney and the Gurrumul mural in Darwin.

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Rochelle Siemienowicz is the ArtsHub Group's Education and Career Editor. She was previously a journalist for Screenhub and is a writer, film critic and cultural commentator with a PhD in Australian cinema. She was the co-host of Australia's longest-running film podcast 'Hell is for Hyphenates' and has written a memoir, Fallen, published by Affirm Press. Her second book, Double Happiness, a novel, will be published by Midnight Sun in 2024. Instagram: @Rochelle_Rochelle Twitter: @Milan2Pinsk