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Artist Pauline Sunfly
Title Mangkayi
Year 2022
Medium

Acrylic on linen

Dimensions 121.9 × 61 cm
Art Centre Warlayirti Artists →

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Pauline Sunfly

Pauline Sunfly paints her parents’ Country. Her mother, Bai Bai Napangarti, a senior law woman, was a Ngardi woman whose Country extends from Mangkayi in the Stansmore Ranges to just south of Yagga Yagga. Her late father, Sunfly Tjampitjin, was an important Kukatja lawman who was born further south, at Murrunpa (the Alec Ross Range) near Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay). Pauline was born at the old Balgo Mission and was educated through the mission school. Napangarti introduced her three daughters to painting at an early age, teaching them Tjukurrpa (creation stories and lore) through mark making. Pauline spent time sitting, painting with the old people and her paintings depict ancestral paths, ceremonial designs, and the stories of important Tjukurrpa sites associated with the native cat, goanna and luurnpa (kingfisher).

Artist statement

Inspired by her late mother, renowned artist Bai Bai Napangarti, Pauline Sunfly has depicted her country south of Balgo in the Great Sandy Desert. This Country is named Mangkayi. This painting depicts the variety of seeds that can be found in this country such as Tjirrilpatja (bush carrots) and Kantjilyi (bush raisin). This painting shows the women cooking them on little stones.