Born: 	 	1965 
State: 	 	Northern Territory 
Region: 		Central Arnhem Land 
Community: 	Maningrida 
Outstation: 	Mankorlod, Marrkolidjban 
Language: 	Eastern Kunwinjku 
Local group: 	Kardbam clan 
Social Affiliation: 	Yirridjdja moiety, Bulanj subsection 
Medium: 	 	Bark painting, ochres on bark, log coffin

Subjects and Themes:    
Barramundi, crocodile, pelican & snake, possums, echidna, Mimi, brolga, prawn, goanna, kangaroo, emu, wallaby, 
Namarrkon,catfish, rainbow fish, Ngalyod, large python & eggs, salt water crocodile, lily root, echidna, 
water goanna, short neck fresh water turtle, silverfish; Mangkolod country, billabong 

Awards:
2006 - Winner best works on bark, 23th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery, NT.
2003 - Highly commended, 20th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery, NT.
1993 - Rothmans Foundation Award [Best painting in a traditional media], National Aboriginal Art Award, Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences, Darwin, Northern Territory.

Collections:
AIATSIS Collection, Canberra.
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Victoria.
Kluge Collection, Charlottesville, United States of America.
Museum de Lyon, France.
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.
The Kelton Foundation, Santa Monica, Unite State of America
.

Individual Exhibitions:
2015 - Samuel Namunjdja, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne.
2009 - Samuel Namunjdja - Gungura, Annandale Gallery, Sydney.
2007 - Samuel Namunjdja, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne.
2004 - Samuel Namunjdja, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne.

Group Exhibitions:
2010 - Maningrida 2010,featuring the artists John Mawurndjul, Samuel Namunjdja, James Iyuna, Ivan Namirrkki, Paul Nabulumo Namarinjmak, Timothy Wulanjbirr, and Tommy Gondorra Steele at the Maningrida Gallery, Darwin.
2008 - Melbourne Art Fair 2008, Niagara Gallery stand, Melbourne.
2006-2007 - Gifted: Contemporary Aboriginal Art: The Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
2006 - 23rd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT; L'art aborig�ne contemporain, Arts d'Australie, St�phane Jacob / M�diath�que Cath�drale de Reims, Reims, France; Christofle invite l'Australie, Arts d'Australie, St�phane Jacob / Mus�e Bouilhet Christofle, Saint Denis.
2005 - 22nd Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin; Maningrida NT: Bark Paintings and Carvings, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney; Rarrk! Flowing on from Crossing Country, Annandale Galleries, Sydney; Terre de R�ves, Terre des Hommes, Mus�e de la Pr�histoire d'�le de France, Nemours.
2004 - Exhibition of Hollow Logs, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne; Crossing Country: The Alchemy of Western Arnhem Land Art, Art Gallery of New South, Wales, Sydney; Fibre and sculptures, Indigenart, Fremantle, Western Australia; Living together is easy, Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito, Japan and the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; 21st Telstra National Aborigainal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin; Bark Paintings, carvings and fibre works from Maningrida NT, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney.
2003 - 20th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, Darwin; The Visit, Annandale Galleries, Sydney; Out of the wet - new art by Kuninjku artists, Framed Gallery, Darwin; Dreamtime, contemporary Aboriginal art, Cankarjev Dom Ljubljana, Slovenia; Dreamtime, contemporary Aboriginal art, Arts d'Australie, St�phane Jacob / Cankarjev Dom, Ljubljana, Slov�nie.
2002 - Kuninjku Show, Rebecca Hosack Gallery, London; East + West, Annandale Galleries, Sydney; Salon ART PARIS, Arts d'Australie, St�phane Jacob / Carrousel du Louvre, Paris.
2001 - In the heart of Arnhem Land. Myth and the making of contemporary Aboriginal art, Mus�e del l'H�tel-Dieu, Mantes-la-Jolie, France.
2000 - Transitions: 17 years of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin; and touring.
1998 - Maningrida Group Show, Alliance Francaise, Canberra; Spirits of the Dreaming, Jarraman Arts Aborginal Corporation, National Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Sydney
1996 - 13th National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, Darwin.
1993 - The Tenth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, Darwin.
1992 - The Ninth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, Darwin.

Bibliography:
Telstra presents Transistions: 17 years of the National Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin, 2000.

Hetti Perkins, Crossing Country: The Alchemy of Western Arnhem Land Art, Art Gallery of NSW, 2004.

Kohen, Garde, Ryan, Jurzak and Peltier, In the heart of Arnhem Land: Myth and the making of contemporary Aboriginal Art, Mus�e del l'H�tel-Dieu, Mantes-la-Jolie, France, 2001.

M West, 13th National Aboriginal and Telstra Art Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, 1997.

Notes:
His father, world renowned artist Peter Marralwanga (c.1917-1987), taught Samuel how to paint the stories of his clan as well as his brothers, acclaimed artists Ivan Namarrikki and Glen Namunjdja and his cousins, internationally famous John Mawurndjul, James Iyuna (dec.).

Samuel Namunjdja began painting in the late 1980s. He is part of the Kunwinjku language group and belongs to the Yirridjdja moiety. He was born in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory in 1965 and has lived in Mankorlod, Oenpelli and Maningrida. He paints with ochre on bark, arches paper and poles. He comes from an artist family. Samuel's knowledge of animals such as crocodile, kangaroo and spirit figures such as Mimi Mimi's and Ngalyod (The Rainbow Serpent) are apparent in his paintings. The detailed brush work builds a story of the histories and spirituality of Arnhem land.