REDOT FINE ART GALLERY in collaboration with Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) presents
Winpurpurla A Solo Show by Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman
5 th August - 12 th September 2015
For a high resolution, downloadable, PDF version of the this catalogue, with pricing, please send us an email to info@redotgallery.com Thank you.
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Winpurpurla – A Solo Show by Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman The ReDot Fine Art Gallery is extremely honoured to be inaugurating our stunning new space at the Old Hill Street Police Station with an equally stunning solo exhibition of works by the hugely talented Imelda Yukenbarri Gugaman. Coming from a rich family of artists, she is the eldest daughter of the highly acclaimed and accomplished painter Lucy Yukenbarri (deceased) and the world renowned Helicopter Tjungarrayi - not only a highly collectable artist in his own right, but famous for his exploits as a child when found almost starving in the desert by patrol workers, and one of the most senior law-men of the Northern-Central Deserts of Australia. Imelda grew up a quiet and shy girl living in the dormitories at the Balgo Mission for a number of years, looked after by the nuns and she retains fond memories of this time along with a very strong sense of religion and family values. After attending the government school at Balgo until 1969, Imelda lived for a while in Beagle Bay where she met her husband. They started a family and after their second child they moved back to Balgo where they had 2 more children before his passing.
Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman Working on New Painting Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Gemma Galova
Imelda spent a lot of time with her mother when she was young and every weekend would paint alongside her, learning her Tjukurpa (dreamtime) and the ways of Indigenous culture. Her mother would explain the importance of passing on the stories they were painting and instilled into Imelda the need to pass them onto her children, and grandchildren, which she continues to do. Despite the pressure of living up to very accomplished artists within her family, Imelda has proudly carried on the legacy of the painting style and stories of her mother, to which this body of work attests, yet has found a very appealing and unique style of her own in the process. Winpurpurla, the place that Imelda calls “home”, is the first ever solo show for this talented artist. The works are an amazing affirmation of her painterly pointillism style, allowing the viewer into a very remote landscape of Indigenous Australia, creating meandering, three dimensional topographical maps of the soakage waterhole sites of her beloved country. Imelda has travelled around Australia and overseas with her art, and recently travelled to Melbourne to attend the opening of “Warlayirti: The Art of Balgo” and dance with other Balgo artists at the National Gallery of Victoria in St Kilda. She was also one of the artists who travelled to Tokyo, Japan in 2010 for one of Warlayirti’s largest ever shows. The exhibition begins on Wednesday, 5th August and runs until Saturday, 12th September 2015 and will be attended in person by Imelda, in what will be her first ever trip to Singapore. A must-see show for anyone interested in following the recent developments in Indigenous Art and an opportunity to meet a beautiful and talented proponent of one of the world’s oldest art forms.
Giorgio Pilla Director ReDot Fine Art Gallery
Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman Completed Paintings Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Sheryl Anderson
Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman at Old Balgo Mission Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Sheryl Anderson
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Birth Date Language Skin/Clan Place of Birth
circa 1954 Kukatja Nakamarra Sandy Hills near Kiwirrikurra
Imelda walked into old Balgo Mission with her mother, accomplished painter Lucy Yukenbarri (deceased). She is the eldest child to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda lived in the dormitories at the Mission for a number of years as a small child and was looked after by the nuns and has fond memories of this time. She attended the government school at Balgo and left school in 1969. She then lived for a short period in Beagle Bay where she met her husband. They started a family there and after their second child, they moved back to Balgo where they had two more children. Imelda spent a lot of time with her mother and every weekend would paint alongside Lucy, where Lucy would explain the importance of passing on the stories they were painting and how Imelda needed to pass them onto her children and grandchildren, which she continues to do. When Imelda’s husband passed away, she lived in Mulan for a short time and then moved back to Balgo, where she lives now. Imelda is proud to carry on the legacy of the painting style and stories of her mother. As well as painting in the Art Centre every day, Imelda is an active member of the community and has served on the Warlayirti Board of Directors for many years, where she is currently the Board’s Vice-Chair. She has travelled around Australia and overseas with her art, and recently travelled to Melbourne to attend the opening of “Warlayirti: The Art of Balgo” and dance with other Balgo artists at the National Gallery of Victoria in St Kilda.
Selected Group Exhibitions 2015 Winpurpurla – A Solo Show by Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman – ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore. Revealed - Gallery Central, Perth, WA, Australia. Warlayirti Artists – Art from Balgo - Art Atrium, Sydney, NSW, Australia. 2014 Warlayirti: The Art of Balgo - RMIT University, Melbourne,VIC & Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. Warlayirti Artists – Desert Mob Exhibition - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009 2008
Warlayirti Artists - Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin, NT, Australia. Balgo 2014 - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne,VIC, Australia. Balgo: Past & Present - Cooee Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Convergence – Two Worlds - Short St Gallery, Broome, WA, Australia. Warlayirti Artists - Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin, NT, Australia. Warlayirti Artists – Desert Mob Exhibition - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. Seoul Open Arts Fair, Seoul, Korea (With Desart, Alice Springs, NT, Australia). Balgo 2013 - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne,VIC, Australia. WaterMark – The Signature of Life - International Development for Australian Indigenous Art (IDAIA), Hong Kong (Toured to Singapore in 2014). Gestuelles – The Art of Transmission by Aboriginal Desert Women - International Development for Australian Indigenous Art (IDAIA), Brisbane, QLD, Australia (Touring Exhibition in Australia). Warlayirti Artists - Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin, NT, Australia. Warlayirti Artists – Desert Mob Exhibition - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. Wangkartu,Winpurpurla – Soakwaters Continuing Through Time - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne,VIC, Australia. Balgo 2013 - Gallerie Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne,VIC, Australia. Pro Community – Warlayirti Artists - ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany (Touring Exhibition in Germany). Balgo – 2011 - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore. Warlayirti Artists – Desert Mob Exhibition - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. Kinti kinti, Purrka purrka – The Balgo Way - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore. Ingalimpa Tjuntu – Singing Songs (We sing the country and that’s how we find the way) - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. Yukan – New Moon - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia. Lamparrta,Tjanu, Nyarni - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne,VIC, Australia. Warlayirti Artists – Desert Mob Exhibition - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. The Power of Observation – Emerging Artists Exhibition - Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. From Wirrimanu - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia. Balgo 2008 - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne,VIC, Autralia. Warlayirti Artists – Work from the Australian Desert - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore. 2 x 2 Sisters, All One Family - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne,VIC, Australia.
2007 Survey Exhibition - Tony Bond Gallery, Adelaide, SA, Australia. Group Exhibition - Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, NT, Australia Warlayirti Artists – Desert Mob Exhibition - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. 2006 Warlayirti Artists – Desert Mob Exhibition - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia. A Journey through Balgo Hills - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore. 2005 Helicopter Tjungurrayi, Imelda (Gugaman) Yukenbarri, Christine Yukenbarri, Carmel Yukenbarri - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne,VIC, Australia.
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Linen 150 x 130cm 80/15
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman Completed Painting (80/15) Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Sheryl Anderson
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Linen 150 x 100cm 295/14
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman Completed Paintings Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Sheryl Anderson
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Linen 150 x 75cm 184/15
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman Completed Painting against Landscape (184/15) Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Sheryl Anderson
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Linen 120 x 80cm 160/14
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Linen 120 x 80cm 183/14
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Linen 100 x 100cm 230/14
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Imelda (Yukenbarri) Gugaman Completed Artwork (230/14) Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Sheryl Anderson
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Canvas 120 x 60cm 255/14
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Imelda (YUKENBARRI) GUGAMAN
Winpurpurla Acrylic on Linen 80 x 80cm 50/15
Imelda is the first child born to Lucy Yukenbarri and Helicopter Tjungurrayi. Imelda would sit with her mother, learning about her stories and learning to paint. In this painting, Imelda has depicted her mother’s country south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is named Winpurpurla, after a tjurrnu (soakwater). Winpurpurla is an inta (living water) place so it always has good water. Women travel to Winpurpurla to collect a variety of seeds including lukarrari which is grounded to make damper, as well as kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato).
Landscape from Balgo Lookout across the Pound Source: Š Photo Courtesy of Warlayirti Artists (Balgo) & Sheryl Anderson
In collaboration with
And with a very special thanks to
REDOT FINE ART GALLERY Old Hill Street Police Station 140 Hill Street, #01-08 Singapore 179369 +65 6222 1039 • info@redotgallery.com
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For a high resolution, downloadable, PDF version of the this catalogue, with pricing, please send us an email to info@redotgallery.com Thank you.