Kililpi unngu Munga Ilari (Stars in the Night Sky), 2016, Vicki Cullinan
Acrylic on canvas, 167cm x 243cm
Provenance: Salon de Refusés, Darwin.
Senior Yankunytjatjara woman, Vicki Cullinan is recognised for her leadership and diplomacy within her community. She is a significant figure within the Indulkana people, with a special focus on supporting young women to strive and achieve in education and the arts. Cullinan's artworks often focus on the star constellations seen from her country, particularly the Seven Sisters tjukurpa (1).
From the authenticity certificate: Cullinan’s painting is evocative of the desert night sky brimming with stars. From her home at Ildulkana on the APY Lands, the night sky is loaded with many southern hemisphere star constellations, the beautiful Milky Way, shooting stars, the bright moon, and the distant planets. As if observing the night sky through fast motion film, Cullinan’s paintings capture the movement and energy of star formations, the changes in shifting light, and the powerful beauty of the solar system.
Artist Statement
‘There were only a few houses in the community when I was young, there used to be four little tin sheds in a row, one of the tin sheds belonged to my family, we used to make a small fire inside and drink hot tea. Back then there was a lot of water in the rock holes and there were tjukitjis (underground springs) in the ridge and around Mt Chandler - we were always outdoors playing and swimming. I’ve been painting at Iwantja for many years now, my paintings show the country and tell stories that I know, I often paint the story of the Seven Sisters - it’s special to me. When I’m painting, I think about how to make the painting strong, I don’t worry about other things at home or outside, it’s peaceful and I’m in a quiet place’