Flinders Lane Gallery is delighted to showcase the dynamic energy and cultural richness of the artist’s from Warlukurlangu Artists in their latest exhibition, “Pijirrdi Warlalja: Strong Families.” Running in conjunction with NAIDOC Week (7 - 14 July 2024), this showcase unveils the extraordinary talents of this community of contemporary Indigenous artists and explores the deep inter-generational ties that bind them to their ancestors.
Painting our Families Dreamings over Generations (Pijirrdi Warlalja: Yirrani karnalu nganyimpa walaljapatu kurlangu Jukurrpa nyurruwarnu) highlights some of the standout painters from Warlukurlangu, including 2023 NATSIAA General Painting category award winner Julie Nangala Robertson, alongside new works by Athena Nangala Granites, Christine Nakamarra-Curtis, Clarise Nampijinpa Poulson, Flora Nakamarra Brown, Julie Nangala Robertson, Leston Japaljarri Spencer, Letisha Napanangka Marshall, Louise Napangardi Watson and Theo Faye Nangala Hudson. This exhibition is an exhilarating exploration of culture and creativity.
VIEW FURTHER WORKS FROM WARLUKURLANGU COMMUNITY
This exhibition has been timed to celebrate NAIDOC WEEK
MEET THE ARTISTS
Athena Nangala Granites Although young, Athena comes from a long line of artists. She is the daughter of Geraldine Napangardi Granites and the grand-daughter of Alma Nungarrayi Granites. She is also the great grand-daughter of Paddy Japaljarri Sims (Deceased) one of the founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists. Athena has been painting with Warlukurlangu since 2010. She paints Jukurrpa from her father’s side (Ngapa Jukurrpa – Water Dreaming) and (Ngalyipi Jukurrpa – Snake Vine Dreaming and Yanjirlpirri Jukurrpa - Seven Sisters Dreaming) from her mother's side. Both stories relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it.
Christine Nakamarra-Curtis Christine was born into a family of artists, including her mother Kelly Napanangka Michaels, and her father Roy Jupurrurla Curtis. The eldest of seven sisters she spent most of her childhood at Nyirripi, a remote Aboriginal community located 150 km north-west of Yuendumu. “I love the place. I grew up here – learning from the old people.” Christine began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists in 2007. “I like the patterns and all those colours, and the stories. Watching family painting, they show you the dreaming.” Christine uses an unrestricted palette to develop a modern interpretation of her traditional culture.
Clarise Nampijinpa Poulson Clarise's country is Wantungurru, and she paints her father’s Dreamings which include Yankirri (Emu Dreaming), Ngapa (Water Dreaming) and Pamapardu (Flying Ant Dreaming). Clarise first painted for Warlukurlangu Artists in 1988, and her work was shown in the ANCAA exhibition in Darwin in September 1988. She quickly distinguished herself as an outstanding artist, meticulous painter, able to vary size of dots and design elements so that each composition is individualistic. She has participated in many important surveys of Aboriginal art at the National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland Art Gallery, Musee Favre, France and at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Flora Nakamarra Brown Flora began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists in 2017. She paints her mother’s Mina Mina Jukurrpa (Mina Mina Dreaming – Ngalyipi), an important women’s dreaming site west of Yuendumu and Nyirripi, near Lake Mackay and the WA border. These stories have been passed down to her by her mother and her mother’s mother before her for millennia. “I love my Mina Mina story.” When Flora’s not painting, or looking after her grandchildren, she likes to “sometimes go hunting for kangaroo”.
Julie Nangala Robertson Julie won the 2023 NATSIAA (Telstra Award). She is one of five daughters born in Yuendumu in 1973 to well-known Telstra Award winning artist, Dorothy Napangardi (Dec 2013). Since the late 1990's, while often in the company of her talented mother, Julie has pursued and developed a creative visual language of her own, one which consists of a fascinating blend of stylised experimentation and ancient narrative. Usually an aerial perspective along with a more recently and established distinctive monochromatic palette, Julie's current paintings (which depict the topographical features of her traditional country at the site of Pirlinyanu) have become works of extraordinary optical brilliance as she alternates the size of dots throughout her work as well as building up specific shapes or reference points often repeated with over painting.
Lee Nangala Gallagher Lee Nangala Wayne was born in 1958 in Yuendumu, but when her husband passed away she moved to Nyirripi, where her mother, Mary Napangardi Gallagher, also a well-known artist lives. She has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 2006, after “watching all those old people doing painting”. She says she feels better when she’s painting and particularly likes painting her father’s Jukurrpa, especially Yankirri Jukurrpa (Emu Dreaming) and Yunkaranyi Jukurrpa (Flying Ants). Lee uses traditional Aboriginal colours of black, yellow and red, acrylic colours that imitate the ochres found in the area.
Leston Japaljarri Spencer Leston is married to fellow artist Theo Nangala Hudson and they have five sons together. Leston has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 2012. Like most of the Warlpiri artists who paint for Warlukurlangu, he paints his traditional stories of country that have been passed down from generation to generation for millennia.
Letisha Napanangka Marshall Letisha paints the Warlukurlangu Jukurrpa (Fire Country Dreaming), Yuparli Jukurrpa (Bush Banana Dreaming) and Karnta Jukurrpa (Women's Dreaming).
Louise Napangardi Watson Louise has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 2004. She paints her Grandmother’s Dreaming, Mina Mina Jukurrpa (Mina Mina Dreaming) and Kanta Jukurrpa (Bush Coconut Dreaming), stories that relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. Louise uses traditional iconology and an unrestricted palette to depict her traditional culture. Louise has two children Chelsea and Casim. When she is not painting, she shares an interest in sport with her children, playing softball and basketball.Saraeva Napaljarri Marshall Saraeva Napaljarri Marshall was born in 1996 to Julie Nangala Robertson (a Warlukurlangu Artist) and Nigel Japanangka Marshall. She is the grand-daughter of the well-known Telstra Award winning artist, Dorothy Napangardi (Dec 2013). Saraeva has spent her whole life in Yuendumu. Although Saraeva has been painting from an early age with her mother and grandmother, she has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 2013. She paints her Grandmother’s Mina Mina Jukurrpa (Mina Mina Dreaming). Her gradmother would paint and tell her about the important women’s dreaming site, about the ancestral women travelling and dancing and performing ceremonies and creating the country as they travelled.
Theo Faye Nangala Hudson Theo began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists in 2002, when she was 13 years of age. “I would watch my Grandmother paint and listen to her stories”. She began to paint in earnest with the art centre in 2006. Theo paints her mother’s Jukurrpa (Dreamings) and her father’s Jukurrpa, such as Yuparli Jukurrpa (Bush Banana Dreaming) from her mother’s side and Pikilyi Jukuurpa (Vaughan Springs Dreaming) from her father’s side. Theo uses an unrestricted palette and loves to create patterns that depict a modern interpretation of her traditional culture. When Theo is not painting and looking after her family she likes to go hunting for Yurrampi (honey ants) and Yuparli (bush banana).
Valda Napangardi Granites Valda Napangardi Granites is the grand-daughter of the late Paddy Japaljarri Sims (1916 – 2010) and Bessie Nakamarra Sims (1932 – 2012), two founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists. Valda was born in 1974 in Alice Springs and grew up in Yuendumu, where she still lives. Valda has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 1993. She paints the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories passed down to her by her mother and father and their parents before them for millennia. These are creation stories which closely relate to the features and animals found in her family’s traditional lands.
Wilma Napangardi Poulson Wilma Napangardi Poulson was born in 1970 in Yuendumu. She has a sister, Ivy Napangardi Poulson, an artist also working with Warlukurlangu Artists. Wilma has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 2004. She paints several Dreamings, but the ones that feature constantly are the Bush Banana Dreaming depicting Vaughan Springs country and the Snake Vine Dreaming relating to Mt Theo area. These Dreamings were passed down to her by her father and his father’s father for millennia. These stories relate to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it.
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