THE Wik and Kugu Arts Centre’s famous ku’ (camp dog) carvings are among 160 works installed in the inaugural display of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in the newly located Yiribana Gallery at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. 

Aurukun Deputy Mayor Craig Koomeeta and Wik and Kugu Arts Centre Manager Gabriel Waterman will accompany artists Leigh Namponan, Keith Wikmunea, Vernon Marbendinar, Lex Namponan and Roderick Yunkaporta to the exhibition in Sydney next week where they will give talks on their art. 

Nine artists from the Wik and Kugu Arts Centre have carved 26 dogs that will be located in various groups across the gallery’s existing buildings and their new buildings which open to the public on December 3. 

Aurukun Mayor Keri Tamwoy said the Wik and Kugu artists were enjoying a number of successful exhibitions with sales over the past year to galleries and private…