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Kungka Tjukurrpa at Ilpilli

This painting represents the sacred site of Ilpilli, Napurrula’s country, which is located between Mt Liebig and Kintore.

Karen’s ancestors (The Napurrula women) were travelling across land searching for water and came upon this site. They discovered rockholes with water and a creek, which meant there was plenty of food around. This became a significant place and they remained there for a long time.

Eventually the missionaries came and took them to Haasts Bluff. 

Categories: Papunya Tjupi Art Centre Aboriginal Corporation

Name: Karen McDonald

Community: Papunya

Biography:

Karen was born in Papunya in 1970, and grew up at Blackwater Outstation, about 5km outside of Papunya. She is the younger sister of renown Papunya Tjupi painter, Carbiene McDonald. Karen attended school in Papunya, and later Yirara College in Alice Springs. 

Karen paints her grandmothers story, Kungka Tjukurrpa at Ilpilli. At Ilpilli, Karen's ancestors - the Napurrula women - found waterholes, creeks, and an abundance of food. It became a significant site for them, and they remained there for a long time.

Karen is is a skilled translator and linguist. She worked at Papunya school as an assistant teacher for many years. Her work has incorporated poems, text and images. She continues to experiment with new materials and grow her practice in exciting directions. Her work was exhibited at the Desert Mob exhibition at Araluen arts centre in 2021. Karen continues to live at Blackwater outstation where she grew up, and now works at the Art Centre.

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