Jilji 2005 by Wakartu Cory Surprise, 30x60cm 13713CS

Jilji (sandhills) in the Great Sandy Desert. We walk across the jilji to get from one jili (waterhole) to another.

Wakartu Cory Surprise (1929–2011), a member of the Walmajarri language group and Nyapana skin group, was renowned for her bold, abstract paintings throughout her career. She was a pioneering artist at the Mangkaja Arts Centre in Fitzroy Crossing in the early 1980s and a leader within her artistic community. Her works are vibrant explorations of her country's spirit and features, reflecting the deep connection and intimate knowledge she had of the desert environment and its laws. She painted about these elements until her final days.

Wakartu was born at Tapu and, after the death of her parents, travelled with her brothers to Kaningarra and Wayampajarti, where she grew up. As an adult, she and her husband fled Christmas Creek Station, but he was brought back in chains by the police. Wakartu raised seven children while working for the police, on stations, and collecting minerals for rations.

Her work is held in prestigious collections, including the National Museum of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art, and Art Gallery of Western Australia. Wakartu was a highly regarded, award-winning contemporary artist known for her uninhibited painting style.