Kapi Tjukurrpa Nyumannu

‘Piintingi ngaatja panya Nyumannu lawana, panya palumpa paapaku ngurra, ulparirra kakararra Walungurru. Panya rawunu ngururrpa palatja rakula nyangutja ngurra palulawana, panya watiya, tjanpi, yukiri, mititjina tjata ngurarra tarra, mangarri kaliny kalinypa tarra. Paluru panya maku tarra wangkangi watiya itarangka manytjini. Kanya kuntju tjukarurruwana karnpatjangka tali tarra ngaranyi ngurra palunya tjatiyi.’ Doris Bush Nungarrayi 2023 (Luritja translation by Patricia Phillipus Napurrula)

In this quote, Doris Bush Nungarrayi explains that she has painted the site of Nyumannu, south-east of the remote Aboriginal community of Walungurru/Kintore, Northern Territory. This is her mother’s Country and holds an important tjukurrpa at this place, a dingo creation story. The blue circular form at the centre of the canvas indicates the main rock hole found in this area, while the surrounding shapes indicate the trees, shrubs, grasses, maku (witchetty grubs) and bush medicine plants found here. The scratchy, linear marks which border both flora and fauna symbolizes the shifting tali (sandhills) which surround the area.

Doris Bush Nungarrayi began painting through Papunya Tjupi Arts in Warumpi/Papunya, Northern Territory, in 2007, not long after the art centre opened. An enthusiastic artist who paints daily, Nungarrayi quickly developed her own unique style, painting her Country in textural fields of vivid colour.

This work was a finalist in the 2023 Wynne Prize.