Jorna Newberry, an Aboriginal artist from the Pitjantjatjara group, draws inspiration from the sacred lands of her ancestors and the stories of the Dreamtime. Trained by her uncle Tommy Watson, she adopts a more muted and symbolic palette, notably telling the story of the lizard Perentie. Here she paints her country of Irrunytju, in the Western Desert. She also represents the Walpa Tjukurpa – the Dreaming of the Wind, which refers to the country of her mother, Utantja, which is a large expanse of sacred land with hills and a rocky hole where Aboriginal people gathered to paint, dance, and for ceremonies. Her perfect mastery of “dot painting” reflects a deep spirituality and active cultural transmission.
