Curated in collaboration with the Warlukulangu Arts Centre, 2025 launches with the gallery’s showcase exhibition of exceptional art from the central desert communities of Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Amplifying the stories, landscapes, and creative expressions of these artists, this exhibition will offer a compelling glimpse into the culture of the region and the vibrant voices behind it.
Featured Artists: Agnes Nampijinpa Brown, Antonia Napangardi Michaels, Christine Nakamarra Curtis, Nigel Japanangka Marshall, Sarah Napurrurla Leo, Theo (Faye) Nangala Hudson, Ursula Napangardi Hudson, Wilma Napangardi Poulson, Patrick Japangardi Williams and Valda Napangardi Granites.
Nigel Japanangka Marshall
Nigel Marshall was born in Yuendumu in 1972 at the old hospital before it closed down. He is the Grandson of Kamalyarrpa Japanangka AKA ‘Bullfrog’, who was involved in the infamous Coniston Massacre of 1928. He is married to renowned Warlukurlangu Artist Julie Robertson and they have two children. Nigel supports the Western Bulldogs and he used to coach the Yuendumu Magpies under 18s. Kumpu is his traditional country and he paints Jungunpa or native mouse Jukurrpa. His mother's dreaming is Warlukurlangu.
Sarah Napurrurla Leo
Sarah Napurrurla Leo was born in 1971 on Napperby Station, an area located 122 km north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. Sarah later moved with her parents from the Napperby homestead area to the Laramba Community, 205 km north-west of Alice Springs. Sarah has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 2008. She paints Karnta Jukurrpa (Womens Dreaming), her Grandmother’s Jukurrpa stories. These stories relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. She also paints her Mother’s Jukurrpa, Ngurlu Jukurrpa (Native Seed Dreaming). Sarah uses an unrestricted palette to develop a modern interpretation of her traditional culture.
Agnes Nampijinpa Brown
“I like painting the designs of my country, they are colourful and uplifting and they make me think about my father. He used to tell me his stories when I was a little girl.” Agnes Nampijinpa Brown was born in 1973 in Nyirripi, a remote Aboriginal community approximately 450 km north-west of Alice Springs in the NT of Australia. She spends her time living between Nyirripi and Yuendumu, an Aboriginal community located 160 km south-east of Nyirripi. Agnes attended the Yuendumu School, finishing Year 12. She then returned to Nyirripi where she worked at the store. Agnes stopped working when she married. She has two daughters and one son. She is also a grandmother and has two grandkids, a boy and a girl. She worked for the Aged Care Program in Nyirripi for several years but now she focuses on her family and on her painting.
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 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).
Antonia Napangardi Michaels
Antonia began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in 2010 when she was 12 years old. Antonia continues the family tradition of artists painting her Grandmother’s Lappi Lappi Jukurrpa(Lappi Lappi Dreaming) and her father’s Janganpa Jukurrpa (Bush-tailed Possum Dreaming), stories which relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. These stories were passed down to her by her parents and their parents before them for millennia. She learnt to paint first at school and then by watching her family paint. She uses an unrestricted palette to depict her traditional iconography, at the same time developing a modern individual style, using pattern in a variety of contexts.
Ursula Napangardi Hudson
Ursula Napangardi Hudson was born in 1962 in Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community located 290 km north-west of Alice Springs in the NT of Australia. Ursula has been painting with Walukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation since 1993. The Art Centre makes regular visits to Nyirripi to drop off canvas, paint and brushes for the artists and to collect finished artworks. When Ursula was young she would watch her Aunty, Daisy Napanangka Nelson (Circa 1930 – 2002), paint. “She taught us to paint. I wanted to paint, to teach my kids when they grew up. Tell them the stories, tell the bush tucker stories when they go hunting.”
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, a remote Aboriginal community 290 km from Alice Springs in NT of Australia. She has a sister, Ivy Napangardi Poulson, an artist also working with Warlukurlangu Artists, and a brother who alternates between Darwin and Nyirripi. Wilma went to the local school in Yuendumu, then to Yirara College in Alice Springs. When she finished schooling she returned to Yuendumu. Wilma has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 2004. She paints several Dreamings, but the ones that feature consistently 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. Wilma was married but her husband passed away. She has no children but loves to take care of her nephew.
Jeanie Napangardi Lewis
Jeanie Napangardi Lewis was born around 1950 on her ancestral homelands near Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay) in the Northern Territory. "Mina Mina is my grandmother’s country. I paint her Jukurrpa. Kanakurlangu, Women’s Dreaming. The women who danced and pierced the ground. They danced and made the land. Mina Mina – soakages, lake, sandhills and too many trees. They made that country. My grandmother gave me her Jukurrpa. They taught me, by painting designs on me in ceremony. We danced and sang that country and now I hold the responsibility."Christine Nakamarra Curtis
Christine Nakamarra Curtis was born in Alice Springs Hospital, the closest hospital to Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community 290 km north-west of Alice Springs. Christine began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in 2007. Christine paints her grandparent's dreaming on her mother's side, Dreamings which relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. These stories have been passed down for millennia. "I like the patterns and all those colours, and the stories. Watching family painting, they show you the dreaming."
Patrick Japangardi Williams Patrick Japangardi Williams is an emerging artist from Nyirripi, a remote Indigenous Australian community 450kms North West of Alice Springs. Patrick is becoming well-known for his incredible dot work, strong design and detailing when depicting the Wakulyarri Jukurrpa (Black-footed Rock Wallaby Dreaming). It is a long story which travels from Yarungkanyi (west of Yuendumu) to Kunajarrayi. Men of the Jungarrayi/Japaljarri skin name and women of the Napaljarri/Nungarrayi skin name are the 'kirda' (custodians) for the Wakulyarri Jukurrpa.
Shanna Napanangka Williams Shanna Napanangka Williams is the great grand-daughter of Paddy Japaljarri Sims and Bessie Nakamarra Sims, two of the founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation. Shanna has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, since 2002, when she was 14 years of age. Shanna paints her father’s Jukurrpa stories, Dreamings which relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it.
