Central Australia, 1926

LOFTY Bardayal Nadjamerrek was born around 1926. His country is the Stone country around the Upper Mann and Liverpool rivers but he travelled widely in Western Arnhem Land and and lived with his wife Mary near Oenpelli. He has now returned to his original country and resides in Kabulwarnamo in Western Arnhem Land. He is a senior elder of the Mok clan.

Bardayal has participated in nearly thirty group exhibitions since 1975 including notably; 1975, 'Australian Bark Painting' from the collection of Dr. Edward L. Ruhe (touring the USA): 1986, The art of the First Australians, Kobe City Museum, Japan; 1988 The inspired Dream, Museum & Gallery of the N.T. and touring internationally; 1993-4, Masterpieces of Aboriginal Art, National Gallery of Victoria; 1995 Rainbow, Sugarbag and Dream, Museum & Gallery N.T. and touring nationally.

Bardayal was awarded the prize for best work on paper at the Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders exhibition in 1998. He was also commissioned to do a painting which appeared on the Australian 40c stamp in 1982.

Bardayal's work is held in numerous public and private collections in Australia and overseas including the National Gallery of Australia, NGV, Australian Museum of Sydney, National Australian Museum Canberra, MCA Sydney, Holmes a Court Collection, Perth and various University collections. The Annandale Galleries show is his first solo exhibition.