Located in Bicentennial Park, between the playground and mirragma gunugurr-wa, the artwork, wrapped on amenities, is titled 'Guidance of Ones' Past', and draws upon the artist's connection to culture.
Trent 'Bundirrik' Lee is a proud Larrakia man through his Nardang father, grandmother, Alap and as a part of the Cubillo family. Bundirrik was about seven when he was taught by his father to paint their traditional way. As a prominent member of Darwin's Street Art scene, he has also been the recipient of many commissions both local, national and international.
In line with our Creative Strategy 2024-2030, these projects celebrate Larrakia and include distinctly Darwin themes, while creating valuable opportunities for local artists.
Artist's Statement:
I am a proud Larrakia man through my Nardang father, my grandmother
Alap and part of the large Cubillo family. I was about seven years old when I was taught by my father to paint our traditional way. From the age of ten, I was taught how to carve and make our cultural artefacts and tools making spears, boomerangs and carvings like birds, turtles and stingrays, just to name a few. I have also been creatively and culturally influenced by other family members, father, uncles, aunties and cousins.
I have some of my spears and other artefacts in the offices of the Governor General, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a few other high commands from the Defence Force and the American Consulate. I have also created coins for a previous Northern Territory Chief Minister.
I am also involved in the Darwin street-art scene and have painted murals at several different schools, businesses and CDC busses in the Darwin and Palmerston areas, the largest mural at the Palmerston Recreation centre coming in at 36 metres long and 12 metres high. In 2024 I was invited to Los Angeles to paint a mural to promote tourism in the Northern Territory.
I have been the recipient of many commissions from canoes, one made with my Nardang (father, Tony) and four with Nandang (Roque Lee). Another was the sculpture mirragma gunugurr-wa, created with Garawa, and located in Bicentennial Park.
Further commissions have involved creating walking path stickers for Bruce Munroe's Tropical Light exhibition, an installation of 40 magpie geese on the lawns of Brown's Mart in Darwin City, painted some awards for the National Indigenous Music Awards, designed seating for TIO stadium, created a guernsey for the Gold Coast Suns and since the inception of its' Indigenous round, the Supercars designing officials' shirts, a race car and main logo. My art has also been exhibited at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair and in Larrakia Nation's shop front.
Photos by Helspix.
