Pirlinyanu 2004 by Julie Nangala Robertson 91x91cm

"Pirlinyanu Site - Water Dreaming (2004)" by Julie Nangala Robertson vividly captures Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming), connected to her father’s traditional country of Pirlinyanu. This rocky outcrop in the Tanami Desert, west of Yuendumu and towards the WA border, is renowned for its significant waterholes and plentiful bush tucker. These essential resources make it a critical location for the Water Dreaming. Those with traditional knowledge can access fresh water in the deep, naturally occurring wells of Pirlinyanu by moving specific rocks.

Julie paints from an aerial perspective, using a reduced palette of colors to apply dots that give shape and movement to her depiction of the landscape and her dreaming. Her technique creates a dynamic representation of the desert and its hidden life-giving sources.

In 2023, Julie was awarded the Best Painting category in the Telstra Aboriginal Art Award, recognizing her extraordinary talent.

Julie, the eldest of five daughters of Dorothy Napangardi Robinson, recently changed the spelling of her surname to Robertson to align with her relatives in Yuendumu, correcting a misspelling by her father, Windy. Windy had two wives: Rene Robinson and Dorothy Robinson.