Aypulumay Gul
Date2020
Object number00056390
NameModel
MediumFibreglass resin, wood, paint, nylon, plastic
DimensionsOverall: 570 × 3110 × 1050 mm, 11 kg
Copyright© Alick Tipoti
ClassificationsModels
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection
DescriptionApulumay Gul is a model of a standard small Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait) canoe that was made by noted Torres Strait artist, Alick Tipoti. These canoes are used for hunting and fishing close to shore and hold three or four people. The carved head of a bird on the prow is designed to deter sea birds from stealing the fishermen's catch whilst they are diving.SignificanceAlick Tipoti was born in Torres Strait in 1975 and lives and works on Badhu Island. He has produced a significant body of work across a range of media, focusing on the stories of his people's history and culture. The model of an Aypulumay Gul was commissioned for the Australian National Maritime Museum exhibition, Alick Tipoti Miraw Mineral and will complement other works by him already in the collection. Importantly, it will also provide a means of telling the story of traditional hunting and fishing methods in Torres Strait.
Tipoti has held a number of group and solo exhibitions and undertaken major commissions and performances, including the Marimawa or spiritual mask dance at London's British Museum. His work is widely held in Australian museums and galleries, as well as in the Cambridge University Museum, the British Museum and the Musee des Confluences in Lyon, France.
