Atipalku Intjalki, Tjukurpa Mulayangu - Atipalku’s Story, 120x120cm

• Aboriginal Artist  - Atipalku Intjalki
• Community - Pukatja (Ernabella) 
• Aboriginal Art- centre - Ernabella Arts
• Catalogue number - 349/26
• Materials - Professional artist acrylic on Belgian linen
• Size(cm) - H120 W120 D2
• Postage variants - Artwork posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping
• Orientation - Painted from all sides and OK to hang as wished

Tjukurpa Mulayangu is a men’s law place. This is Atipalku’s father’s country in the western part of the Aangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia. Mulayangu was a wanampi (water snake) who travelled all over this area creating rockholes. 

In 2020 Atipalku and her family travelled to this area and stayed at their homeland, Tangkana, for the first time in many years. Atipallku was able to show her children and grandchildren this special place and share stories with them that had been passed down to her.

This painting depicts Atipalku’s father’s country with tjanpi (grass) and many tjukula (waterholes).

Atipalku is the matriarch of a highly regarded family of Ernabella artists. She was born in Ernabella on the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands and first started working at the art centre over fifty years ago. In those days the artists hand-spun sheep fleece into wool and then dyed it to weave floor rugs and wall hangings.

In the 1970s Atipalku excelled in creating batik silk works, some of which are held in the National Gallery of Australia. Today Atipalku is an accomplished tjanpi (grass) weaver, punu (wood) artist and painter. Atipalku’s work across a variety of mediums has been shown in over 50 exhibitions nationally and internationally.

Atipalku’s husband Adrian Intjalki was an established punu artist and her son Jeffrey Lewis is well known for painting birds. Atipalku’s three daughters Michelle Lewis, Lynette Lewis and Langaliki Lewis are all highly sought after for their canvas and ceramic work. Atipalku’s granddaughter Jayana Andy is also an emerging artist in the ceramics studio.