Lily Nungarrayi Yirringali Jurrah Hargraves facts for kids
Lily Nungarrayi Yirringali Jurrah Hargraves was a famous Walpiri artist. She was also a respected senior Law woman from Lajamanu, Northern Territory, Australia. People often knew her as Lily Hargraves. Her traditional Walpiri name was Yirringali, and Nungarrayi was her skin name.
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About Lily Hargraves
Her Early Life and Art
Lily Nungarrayi Yirringali Jurrah Hargraves was born in 1930. She was born in the Tanami Desert, near a place called Jilla or Chilla Well. She was one of the "old desert walkers," meaning she grew up living a traditional life in the desert.
In the 1950s, she moved to the community of Lajamanu. Lily started painting on canvas in 1986. This was after a special Traditional Painting Course was held in Lajamanu.
Her Artistic Style and Recognition
Lily Nungarrayi's artwork is very well-known. Her paintings are kept in many important art collections. Her art has been shown in exhibitions all over Australia and in other countries. These include places like France and the USA.
In 2009, Lily was a finalist in the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. This is a very important art competition in Australia. As she got older, her painting style changed a bit. She used more freedom and bright colors in her art. She continued to create traditional paintings with bold colors at the Warnayaka Art Gallery in Lajamanu.
Her Role as a Law Woman
As a senior Law woman, Lily Nungarrayi had an important role. She was in charge of supervising women's song and dance ceremonies. These ceremonies are a very important part of Walpiri culture and traditions.
Where Her Art Can Be Seen
Lily Nungarrayi's art is part of many collections around the world. Some of these include:
- AAMU - Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Art, The Netherlands
- Collection Roemer, Germany
- Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Australia
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
- United Nations Office, Darwin, Australia
- Peter Boehm Collection, Sydney NSW Australia
