Description
- Title: Wayililinypa
- Medium: Acrylic on pre-stretched canvas
- Year: 2023
- Size: 51 x 76 cm
- Artist skin name: Nampijinpa
- Language group: Warlpiri
- Community: Yuendumu
Story
Waylilinypa is country west of Yuendumu. There is a small homeland (outstation) there established by her old relatives so they could be close to their country. Many different Jukurrpa (ancestral creation stories) traverse the area as they were the tracks of the original beings who acted and created the landscape. The Jukurrpa include Warlukurlangu (Fire or Blue-tongue Lizard Brothers), Yankirri (Emu) and Wardapi (Goanna).
The artist – Zeza Nampijinpa Egan
Zeza is an outstanding colourist and has a fine sense of composition. She was originally called Noreen until a relative with that name passed away. In a community it is hurtful to hear the name of a deceased person so they are referred to as Kumunjayi and anyone with the same name can either take a new name or also be called Kumunjayi. Zeza often lives in Ali Curung and also travels to Darwin regularly to visit family.
See a video of Zeza here explaining the importance of water in the desert.
Zeza’s father was Ted Jangala Egan, a renowned tracker and early member of Warlukurlangu Artists of Yuendumu.
Flying Fox Fabric Designs
Zeza has licensed a number of paintings to be used as fabric designs with Flying Fox Fabrics. These are available exclusively through Songlines. The vibrance and movement expressed in her original artworks reproduces beautifully on fabrics.
Zeza and Songlines
The director of Songlines, Felicity Wright (aka Nangala), was the first manager of Warlukurlangu Artists from 1986-88 and is well known to the Egan family. Zeza’s father was a member of Warlukurlangu Artists when she was employed. Living and working on Warlpiri country and learning the language and stories was a huge privilege and changed her perspective on life. The Warlpiris introduced her to Indigenous ways of seeing and being in the world. The old men and women ‘grew her up’. She maintains strong connections with the Warlpiri families.
