Women of the Western Desert: Walungurru and Kiwirrkurra​

This exhibition celebrates a key moment in Australian art history. In the mid-1990s, women from Walungurru and Kiwirrkurra began painting in their own right, depicting their Dreamings and transforming the Western Desert movement, which men had long dominated. Their works are rooted in Country and ceremony, and also reflect the power and autonomy of returning to live on their ancestral lands after many years of displacement. Through vibrant colour, expressive mark-making, and a clearly feminine perspective, they embody the journeys of ancestral women while claiming their own authority within community and culture.

In this video, Vanessa Merlino, Head of Research at D’Lan Contemporary speaks to Dr Jenny Taylor about this pivotal time in Australian art history. Jenny joined Papunya Tula Artists in 1994, and was a firm internal advocate for the women as they began painting, and a great support to them in their first year as company artists. Vanessa also spent time at Papunya Tula, as Field Officer and their shared experiences provides fascinating insight and perspective of their time spent with these women artists.

Women of the Western Desert: Walungurru and Kiwirrkurra​

28 August – 3 October 2025

D’Lan Contemporary 40 Exhibition Street Naarm / Melbourne VIC 3000

Video by @gd.content