Pedro Wonaeamirri

Pedro Wonaeamirri is a contemporary Aboriginal Australian painter, carver, printmaker, singer, dancer, and performer.

As a member of the Tiwi people, Wonaeamirri regards his art as both a continuation of Tiwi culture as well as an open-ended exploration of style and technique.

Wonaeamirri was born in 1974 at Pirlangimpi, Melville Island.

Raised by his grandmother, Jacinta Wonaeamirri, Pedro Wonaeamirri was taught the Tiwi cultural customs and artforms by both the members of his kin and of his community.

Wonaeamirri learned how to carve under the guidance of his uncle, Romuald Puruntatameri, and learned how to paint by watching elder artists at Jilamara Arts and Crafts, such as Kitty Kantilla and Paddy Freddy Puruntatameri.

Wonaeamirri is also an experienced singer and dancer, both of which form an important part of Tiwi culture.

Wonaeamirri began his career at Jilamara Arts and Crafts in 1991, for which he has since served as an artist, Vice President, and President of the center.

Wonaeamirri has exhibited widely in both solo and group exhibitions (see Significant Exhibitions), and has also been recognized or considered for numerous awards (see Recognitions).

Wonaeamirri uses traditional natural pigments and materials collected from his country, including ochre, feathers, beeswax, and wood.

In his paintings Wonaeamirri utilizes kayimwagakimi, the traditional Tiwi wood comb, to create dotted infill, which is overlain upon fields of red, yellow, white, and black.

Wonaeamirri depicts pwoja (body painting designs) in a style that is both distinctly Tiwi and unique to himself, by experimenting with designs and patterns while alluding to an illustrious cultural history.