| Artist | Rita Watson |
|---|---|
| Title | Ilurpa |
| Year | 2022 |
| Medium | Acrylic on canvas |
| Dimensions | 91 × 122 cm |
| Art Centre | Ninuku Arts → |
Out of stock
Rita Watson
Rita Watson was born in Warburton, in Western Australia. She is the daughter of renowned Irrunytju artist, Tjuruparu Watson. During her younger years, she spent a lot of time traveling across the NPY Lands, particularly between Irrunytju and Amata. Today she lives in Kalka with her husband. Rita has developed a unique interpretation of minyma kutjara (women’s story) which is still sung and danced in Irlupa, her father’s Country. Her symbolism represents women, trees, waterholes and the resonance of song.
Artist statement
This is a story about Irlupa, a site near Papulankatja in Western Australia, a place where western Ngaanyatjara and eastern Pitjantjatjara dialects diverge. This is Rita’s father’s ngurra (camp and country) where she spent time as young person and is home to many important Tjukurpa (Dreaming) sites and stories and inma (songs) for Anangu. Rita paints the features of his camp such as tjukula (rockholes), kalyan kalyan (honey grevillea plant), tjanpi (spinifex), Kampurarpa (bush tomatoes), Anangu (people), punu (trees) and wiltja (windbreaks) in an iconographic milpajunanyi (traditional sand drawing) style.