Winpurpurla 2008 by Stephanie Yukenbarri, 60x90cm Cat 13585SY

Winpurpurla, 2008 by Stephanie Yukenbarri

Stephanie Yukenbarri’s painting "Winpurpurla, 2008" depicts her grandmother’s country, south of Balgo in the Great Sandy Desert. Winpurpurla, the central circle, represents a tjurrnu (soakwater) that always provides good water, making it a vital 'living water' place. Women visit Winpurpurla to collect seeds like lukarrari for damper, along with kumpupatja (bush tomato) and karnti (bush potato). The smaller dots in the painting symbolize the wildflowers that flourish in this fertile area.

Stephanie Yukenbarri is of the Kukatja language group and hails from a distinguished painting family in Balgo, a community celebrated for its vibrant colours and distinctive mark-making. She is the granddaughter of renowned artists Helicopter Tjungurrayi and the late Lucy Yukenbarri. Her mother, Cathy Yukenbarri, and her aunties, Christine and Imelda Yukenbarri, are also esteemed artists.

Born in Derby circa 1991, Stephanie was raised in Balgo and continues to reside there with her husband and three sons. She works as a Teaching Assistant at Luurnpa Catholic School and paints at the art centre, learning from her elders. Stephanie received permission from Helicopter to paint in her grandmother’s style, interpreting the stories she heard from Lucy Yukenbarri and experimenting with unique paint applications.

In 2022, Stephanie traveled to Perth to accept the "Western Australia's Cultural Living Treasure" award on behalf of her grandfather, a moment of immense pride and recognition for her family's artistic legacy.

This painting's provenance is Walayirti Artists, Balgo #866/08.