Warlukurlangu Artists’ Aboriginal Association was incorporated in 1986 and is one of the oldest art centres in the central desert, located in Yuendumu, 300km northwest of Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
Warlukurlangu means "belonging to fire", and is named after a Fire Dreaming west of Yuendumu.
The art centre is both a stronghold of traditional Warlpiri culture and an essential part of Yuendumu’s community life.
Originally, the artists worked at the Adult Education Building.
However, this lacked even basic facilities and offered only a small degree of shelter.
In 1987 the art centre moved to a humble, one-bedroom house west of the current Warlukurlangu art centre.
This acted as a dedicated storage, display and materials-preparation area, but the space lacked room for artists to paint on site.
In 1991 the artists moved to the current location, into a building which was renovated in 2005.
It is now rare for a weekday to pass when artists don’t attend the centre to sit and paint.
Extended family members continuously visit to chat, observe work and discuss community issues.
It is not unusual for upwards of one hundred people to visit the centre over a day.
Warlukurlangu art centre is famous for its gloriously colourful acrylic paintings and fine limited-edition prints.
The maintenance and ongoing transmission of Warlpiri culture to the next generation is an integral part of Warlukurlangu’s mission.
Every painting produced at the art centre has a Tjukurrpa – Story – Dreaming associated with the image.
The paintings are an important repository of local culture and the artist’s stories.
Since 1986, every painting has been sold with an accompanying certificate which can be used to verify that paintings provenance and authenticity forever.
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