Paddy Jupurrula Nelson (c. 1919 - c. 1999) synthetic polymer paint on canvas original dreaming dots, Warlukurlangu catalog number on overlap "49/87" with artists name "Paddy Jupurrula Nelson." Additional notation on verso reading, "Property of / Warlukurlangu / Artists." This painting can be seen on the wall of Bennett's apartment in a photograph by Ken Regan taken in 1994, available upon request. The painting was last hanging in the media room of Bennett's apartment.

Paddy Jupurrurla Nelson was one of the five artists who painted the thirty doors of the school in the Warlpiri community of Yuendumu in 1983. The project was intended to remind the students of their traditions and their heritage, placing their ancestors firmly in the midst of their mainstream education.

The project had a ripple effect that spread well beyond the doors themselves and marked the beginning of the painting movement in the region. Although the Yuendumu elders remained reluctant to paint traditional designs with European materials on small boards or canvases, the painting of the doors demonstrated the ability for large canvases to accommodate the telling of epic ancestral narratives.

24 x 36 inches

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