Paintings from Yuendumu

Yuendumu paintings are well known for their bright colours and complex, interwoven patterns. The community lies 280 kilometres north west of Alice Springs along the red, dusty Tanami Track and has approximately 1000 mainly Warlpiri speaking residents.

Brief biographical details of many of the artists are available on the Yuendumu biographies page and more information is available on our page about the Yuendumu Community.

In the descriptions below there are repeated references to "skin names" such as Napaljarri, Nungarrayi, Jupurrula and Jakamarra - for an explanation of these names, see the page on Aboriginal art and society.

The prices below are in Australian dollars and do not include packing, shipping and insurance - use the "Enquire" button to confirm availability of a painting and the cost of shipping. To check the equivalent price in other currencies, use the Currency Conversion link. For more details about shopping, see our Shopping and online security section. All of the paintings below are unstretched.

Roy Jupurulla Curtis

Title:	Ngapa Jukurrpa
Price:	$950.00 in Australia and Export.
PA809, 2008
Acrylic on canvas
76 x 91 cm

This Ngapa Jukurrpa (water Dreaming) comes from Wapurtali (Mt. Singleton) west of Yuendumu. A marlu (kangaroo) was cooked at a place called Jalkirri. The smoke from the fire formed milpirri (cumulonimbus clouds) and it began to rain. A giant storm formed and travelled from the south over Mikanji where it rained so hard it created a hole in the ground which became a soakage. At Mirrawarri a bird picked up the storm and carried it on its wings to the west until it became too heavy for it and it had to drop it on the ground. Short dashes are often used to represent Mungkurdu (clouds), and longer, flowing lines represent ngawarra (flooded waters). Small circles are used to depict mulju (water soakages) and river beds.

Delivery Costs for this item
Australia	$22
North America	$55
Europe	$55

Paddy Japaljarri Stewart

Title:	Mirri-jarra Jukurrpa
Price:	$2200.00 in Australia and Export.
PA822, 2008
Acrylic on linen
61 x 91 cm

This Jukurrpa represented in this painting belongs to a place to the north of Yuendumu, near Wakurlpa, called Mirrijarra. Here two men were making kurdiji (shields) from the wood of yinirnti (bean tree). The two men left their kurdiji at Mirrijarra and travelled on to the east. Two rock holes in the side of the rocky hill mark the place where they were making their kurdiji and these rockholes make the shape of the miri (handle) of the shield. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements in each painting. Mirri-jarra is typically indicated by a circle in the middle of the canvas and the kurdiji are usually depicted with their hand grips.

Delivery Costs for this item
Australia	$22
North America	$55
Europe	$55

Roxanne Nungarrayi Martin

Title:	Ngurlu Juurrpa
Price:	$250.00 in Australia and Export.
PA826, 2009
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 61 cm

The site depicted in this painting is Puyurru, west of Yuendumu. In the usually dry creek bed are water soakages or naturally occurring wells. Two Jangala men, rainmakers, sang the rain, unleashing a giant storm. It travelled across the country, with the lightning striking the land. This storm met up with another storm from Wapurtali, to the west and was picked up by a Kirrkarlanji (Brown Falcon) and carried further west until it dropped the storm at Purlungyanu, where it created a giant soakage. At Puyurru the bird dug up a giant snake, Warnayarra (the Rainbow Serpent) and the snake carried water with it to create the large lake, Jillyiumpa, close to an outstation in this country. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements and in may paintings of this Jukurrpa curved and straight lines represent the Ngawarra (flood waters) running through the landscape. Motifs frequently used to depict this story including small circles representing Mulju (water soakages) and short bars representing Mangkurdu (clouds).

Delivery Costs for this item
Australia	$22
North America	$55
Europe	$55

Debbie Napaljarri Brown

Title:	Yarla Jukurrpa
Price:	$650.00 in Australia and Export.
PA803, 2007
Acrylic on canvas
61 x 76 cm

This Yarla Jukurrpa comes from an area to the east of Yuendumu called Cockatoo Creek. Yarla (bush potato) are fibrous tubers that grow beneath a low spreading plant, found by looking for cracks in the ground. This edible tuber grows from yartura (roots) which seek out moisture to spout new plants. Yarla are good to eat, when cooked they are really soft and tasty. The Jukurrpa tells of yarla and wapirti (bush carrot) ancestors fighting a big battle in this area. The specific site associated with this painting is a mulju (water soakage) called Ngarparapunyu The curved lines of the kuruwarri (ceremonial designs) represent the ngamarna (vine-like tendrils) from which grow jinjirla (flowers). Karlangu (digging sticks) are usually represented as long lines running down the length of the painting. Karlangu are used by women to dig for bush tucker like Yarla and Wapirti which are found underground..

Delivery Costs for this item
Australia	$22
North America	$55
Europe	$55

Alice Nampijinpa Henwood Michaels

Title:	Lappi Lappi Jukurrpa
Price:	$900.00 in Australia and Export.
PA801, 2008
Acrylic on canvas
46 x 91 cm

The subject of this work is Lappi Lappi, a rock hole near Lake Hazlett, about 90 km northwest of Lake Mackay in Western Australia. Located in a sheltered basin, the rock hole at Lappi Lappi is a permanent source of water, and is surrounded by country rich in bush tucker. In the time of the Jukurrpa (Dreamtime) many mothers with young children would gather there because it was a safe place to stay. The rock hole at Lappi Lappi is home to a warnayarra, a rainbow serpent that travels underground between various rock holes. One day, women were gathered at the rock hole with their children, singing and dancing. When the warnayarra heard the sound of voices, it travelled silently towards them, under the water. When it reached the edge of the rock hole, it rose out of the water and ate them all.

Delivery Costs for this item
Australia	$22
North America	$55
Europe	$55

Ivy Napangardi Poulson

Title:	Pikilyi Jukurrpa
Price:	$550.00 in Australia and Export.
PA813, 2008
Acrylic on canvas
46 x 91 cm

Pikilyi is a large and important waterhole and natural spring near Mount Doreen station. Pikilyi Jukurrpa tells of the home of two rainbow serpents, ancestral heroes who lived together as man and wife. The woman ˜rainbow serpent" was of the Napanangka skin group, the man was a Japangardi. This was a taboo relationship contrary to Warlpiri religious law. Women of the Napanangka and Napangardi subsection sat by the two serpents, picking lice off them. For this service, the two serpents allowed the women to take water from the springs at Pikilyi. This was because the serpents were the kirda, or ceremonial owners, for that country. The spirits of these two rainbow serpents are still at Pikilyi today.

Delivery Costs for this item
Australia	$22
North America	$55
Europe	$55

Gracie Napangardi Egan

Title:	Wakirlpirri Jukurrpa
Price:	$550.00 in Australia and Export.
PA814, 2008
Acrylic on canvas
46 x 91 cm

The main motif of this painting shows the wakirlpirri (dogwood) tree. Wakirlpirri is a very useful tree that grows on the sides of creek beds and near mulga trees. The seeds of this tree can be eaten raw or cooked on the fire. A deliciously sweet drink called yinjirrpi is made from the seeds when they have been dried. The wood can be used to make weapons such as karli (boomerangs) and dancing boards for ceremonies. It is also good wood for burning on the fire because rain cannot extinguish burning Wakirlpirri wood. This Jukurrpa travels from Jarrarda-Jarrayi through to Puturlu (Mount Theo) west of Yuendumu.

Delivery Costs for this item
Australia	$22
North America	$55
Europe	$55