Born in around 1928, artist Kalaju Alma Webou was a Yulparitja speaker and elder in her community in North West Western Australia. She grew up in Pinkalakara, which is the title of this painting, in the Great Sandy Desert, leading a traditional lifestyle until the early 1970s.
Because of the severe droughts in Alma Webou’s sand hill country, many members of her family perished before the remainder travelled West to wetter coastal regions.
The composition of this painting draws on Webou’s desert lands such as the running sand dunes drawn by the prevailing wind. Alma has used a colour palette that reflects the Western Australian coast, where she painted, just South of Broome.
With the inland composition, a palette of marine colours and tactile details that reveal themselves over time, the whole painting is a striking and beautiful artwork that resonates with life.
Being an aerial view, the picture can be hung in all four directions. Stretched and ready to hang, this artwork can be transported from Melbourne on her stretcher, or carefully rolled into a sturdy tube and freighted.
Click image for expanded view
Alma Webou (Kalaju)
Painting title: 'Pinkalakara'
Palya Art C-2950
Polymer acrylic paint on linen, 1110 x 1675 mm
Price on application
Date created: 2006
Short Street Gallery cat.no. 10912
Yulparitja speaker, Bidyadanga area W.A.
Artist dates circ. 1928 - 2009
This painting is stretched and ready to hang. An aerial view, will hang in all four directions