Samson Bonson

Samson Bonson (b.1968), a Gurrgoni sculptor, was taught in the late 1990’s by Crusoe Kurddal a notable maker of mimih spirit carvings.

Bonson is known for the refined carvings and the minute nature of his pointillist decoration on the main body of his mimih carvings. This quality sees his work in high demand.

Bonson’s work has been selected for the 25th, 26th and 29th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards. Significant exhibitions of his work include Dream Tracks, Aboriginal Art of Arnhem Land (2006) at the La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art in the Kingdom of Bahrain and (2006) at the Bargehouse Gallery in London. In 2007 a work was acquired by the British Museum. Internationally, the artist has also been represented by Art Kelch, Freiburg (Germany), and Harvey Arts Project, Ketchum (USA).

His work has also been exhibited by Annandale Galleries (Sydney), Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi (Melbourne), Paul Johnstone Gallery (Darwin) and Vivien Anderson Gallery (Melbourne). Most recently, the artists work is shown at Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney.

Text from Maningrida Arts and Culture

Solo Exhibitions
2026 Samson Bonson, Art Leven, Woolloomoloo, NSW
2018 Mimih Spirit Sculptures - Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC

Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 From the top road - Seven Marks Gallery, Kiama, NSW
2023 Telstra NATSIAA - Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
2023 Maningrida Arts - Michael Reid Southern Highlands, Berrima NSW
2023 Delek & Kunyirrke (White Clay & Charcoal) - Agency Projects, Collingwood, VIC
2023 Spiritual Beings - Art Atrium, Sydney, NSW
2022 Telstra NATSIAA - Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
2021 The Summer Collector’s Show 2022 - Everywhen Artspace
2020 Tarnanthi Art Fair - Lot Fourteen, Adelaide SA
2020 Maningrida Arts & Culture - Michael Reid Galleries
2020 RESILIENCE: The power of the past today - Maningrida - Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Fine Art,
Brussels, BELGUIM
2020 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair 2020 - Online
2020 Art Paris 2020 - ARTKELCH @ Art Paris, Paris, France
2019 Sculpture Bolkimme / Sculpture Today - Harvey Art Projects
2019 Sculpture Bolkkime – Sculpture Today : New Works from Maningrida Arts and Culture - Harvey Art
Projects
2019 Top End Ochre - Art from nature - EVERYWHEN Artspace
2018 ST-ART 2018 - ARTKELCH @ ST-ART 2018, Strasbourg, France
2018 Mardayin - Aboriginal Art von Maningrida Arts - ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany
2018 Mardayin – Aboriginal Art von Maningrida Arts - Art Kelch
2017 Stories are Forever, curated by Vivien Anderson Gallery - Merricks Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2016 Maningrida Arts & Culture - Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
2012 29th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition - Museum and Art
Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2011 Shalom Gamarana Ngiyani Yana - Waterhole Art,Sydney, Australia
2011 The Dreaming Changes Shape - Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Australia
2010 Best of Maningrida - Annandale Galleries, Sydney, Australia
2010 Collection Highlights - Seva Frangos Art, Subiaco, Australia
2009 Works in Season: Bark Paintings, Carvings & Weavings - Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2009 Sculptures - Josh Lilley Fine Art, National Geographic Store, London, UK
2009 Ancestral Spirit Beings and Ceremonial Lorrkon - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
2009 Orche - A Study in Materiality - Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2009 26th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards Exhibition - Museum and Art Gallery
Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2009 Survey from Maningrida Arts & Culture - The Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA
2008 Weaving around the traps - Chapman & Bailey, Melbourne, VIC
2008 Palya Art at Mary Place - Mary Place, Sydney, NSW
2008 Gungura - The Spiraling Wind - Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2008 25th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards Exhibition - Museum and Art Gallery
Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2007 Maningrida group show - Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2007 Lorrkon, Spirit Beings - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
2007 rarrk - Bargehouse Gallery, London, UK
2007 Spirit in Variation Part II - Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2007 Spirit in Variation - Annandale Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2006 Dream Tracks, Aboriginal art of Arnhem Land - La Fontaine Centre of Contemporay Art, Manama,
Kingdom of Bahrain
2006 Sculptures from Maningrida - William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC
2006 Maningrida - Short Stree Gallery, Broome, WA
2006 Dream stories - The Bahrain Art Society, Kingdom of Bahrain
2005 Bark paintings and carvings from Maningrida - Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
2005 Recent works from Maningrida - Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2005 Spirit Beings and Lorrkon - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
2005 Sticks & Stones - Bandigan Aboriginal Art & Craft, Sydney, NSW
2004 Fibre and sculptures, Indigenart, Fremantle, WA - Indigenart, Fremantle, WA
2004 Maningrida Fibre - Bandigan art, Sydney, NSW
2003 Mythological beings from Maningrida - Hogarth Galleris, Sydney, NSW

Laverty Private Collection, Sydney, Australia
British Museum, UK

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