Nyinami karna nyampurla, mangunganyi karna ngula-ju. Sitting Here, Thinking There.
Adrian Jangala Robertson
26 Apr
2025
2025
17 May
2025
In Sitting here, thinking there, Adrian Jangala Robertson paints memories of family and his mother’s Country, Yalpirakinu.
Yalpirakinu is the Warlpiri way of referring to Yuelamu or Mt Allan Station, which lies just off the Tanami Road a few hours northwest of Mparntwe. Adrian’s practice gives breath to the vast colour ways of the Country he comes from, with the tilted composition of a number of his works giving the illusion that the paintings are moving, appearing as a series of stills from a memory. As a consummate colourist, Adrian’s intense, yet controlled brushwork embodies his enduring connection to Yalpirakinu.
In addition to and related to the subject of his homelands, Adrian also frequently paints portraits of his family. Figures of the artist’s familial love are usually placed inside the landscapes he vividly portrays, including his late father and founding Papunya Tula artist, Karpa(Kaapa) Jampitjinpa and sister, Julie Nangala Robertson, who is also a renowned artist working with the Warlukurlangu Artists in Yuendumu. In this exhibition, Karpa, unlike the rest of the works is set against a stark red backdrop and animates the depth of emotion portrayed within the contours of Adrian’s late father’s face. Similarly, Adrian’s work titled Julie, and much like his submission for the Archibald Art Prize in 2024, Jumpin’ Julie, Yuendumu, depicts his sister free spiritedly, adorned by her quirky white sunglasses and vibrant outfits.
Adrian’s upbringing surrounded by his family of artists, including his late mother Eunice Napangardi, as well as the Western Desert art movement has molded him into the distinctive artist he is today.
The beauty inherent to Adrian’s subject matter is that everything derives from memories. By way of the ever-changing trees, bush, mountain ranges, ridges, waterways and the occasional truck down a dirt road, Adrian articulates a relationship to place that makes his work so compelling. Similarly, Family in Yalpirakinu, a recurring title applied to many of Adrian’s works, has an airy, memory-like glaze to it. Adrian’s quiet, thoughtful nature is further evidence that much of his creative process involves weaving through memory before applying paint to canvas.
Sitting here, thinking there invites you to do as Adrian has and to take an introspective approach to the body of works he has created; to enter quietly into these memories of Country and family and simply think.
Written by Aspen Beattie for Adrian
Installation View
Artworks
Artist Profile/s
Adrian Jangala Robertson
Lives
Adrian was born at Papunya in 1962. He went to school in Papunya and remembers Geoff Bardon as a school teacher and working alongside the early Western Desert painters. Adrian's fathers' country travels from west of Walungurru through Karku at Nyirrpi to Warlurkurlangu at Yuendumu. His father, Jampitjinpa, lived at Mount Doreen close to Yuendumu and later worked at Papunya as a Gardener and Builder. Jampitjinpa is a brother to the late Darby Ross Jampitjinpa, sharing the same mother and father. Adrian's mother is the late Eunice Napangardi, a well known painter herself. It is her country, Yalpirakinu, that Adrian paints.
Adrian joined The Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists in 2002. He is a landscape painter and uses a predominantly restricted palette. His paintings consistently refer to the desert mountains, ridges and trees which are part of Yalpirakinu. His brushwork is loaded with energy, drama and memories. He is a deliberate and thoughtful painter; reworking, pushing and pulling the image to completion.
COLLECTIONS
Wollongong University Collection
ARTBANK Collection. Acquired from Desert Mob, Araluen Arts Centre, NT in 2020
Museum And ArtGallery Northern Territory, Darwin NT. Acquired from NATSIAA Painting Award,2020
AraluenCultural Precinct, Alice Springs, NT. Acquired from NATSIAA Painting Award 2021
CDU ArtCollection and Art Gallery, Charles Darwin University, NT. 2021
Art Gallery ofNew South Wales, Sydney NSW. 2015 artwork gifted to the gallery in 2024
AIATSIS Aboriginal Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2023
SOLOE XHIBITIONS
2025 NyinamiKarna Nyampurla, Mangunganyi Karna Ngula-Ju - Sitting here, thinking there - 8Hele Gallery, Mparntwe, NT
2024 UnspokenMemories: A Journey Through Yalpirakinu, 8 Hele Gallery
2024 NGAJUNYANGU WARLALJA, NGAJU NYANGU NGURRA (MY FAMILY, MY COUNTRY) - Redot Gallery -Singapore
2021Yalpirakinu, Mothers Country - RAFT Artspace - Alice Springs, NT
2018 PaintCountry - RAFT Artspace - Alice Springs, NT
2010 RAFTArtspace - Alice Springs, NT
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 ArchibaldPrize - Art Gallery of NSW. Sydney, NSW
2024 WynnePrize - Art Gallery of NSW. Sydney, NSW
2024 Lookin atthat Plane, Lookin at Countryside - Coconut Studios. Darwin, NT
2024 The AlicePrize - Araluen Art Centre. Alice Springs, NT
2024 Ode toCountry: Three Painters (Adrian Robertson, Idris Murphy, Lance James) - DelmarGallery. Sydney, NSW. curator Dallas Gold
2023 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery. Mparntwe, NT
2023 Desert MobExhibition - Araluen Art Centre. Alice Springs, NT
2023 Salon desRefusés (NATSIAA) - Salon Projects. Gallery 5, Darwin NT
2022 Portraitof a Senior Territorian - Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2022 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery. Mparntwe, NT
2022 The FootyShow - Watch This Space. Mparntwe, NT
2022 Desert MobExhibition - Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2022 Salon desRefusés - Gallery 5. Darwin, NT
2022 Clay onCountry - Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2022 The SirJohn Sulman Prize - Art Gallery of NSW. Sydney, NSW
2022 The AlicePrize - Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2021 3 Out ofAlice - Harvey Art Projects. Sun Valley, USA
2021 BindiMagic 10th Anniversary - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery. Mparntwe, NT
2021 Desert Mob30 - Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2021 VincentLingiari Art Award, Ngawa, Ngapa, Kapi, Kwatja, Water - Tangentyere ArtistsGallery. Mparntwe, NT
2021 NationalAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA - Telstra) - MAGNT.Darwin, NT
2020 PaperTrails - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery. Mparntwe, NT
2020 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery. Mparntwe, NT
2020 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2020 NationalAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA - Telstra) - MAGNT.Darwin, NT
2020 Petite -Mitchell Fine Art. Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD
2019 BushChristmas - Talapi Art. Mparntwe, NT
2019 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery, Mparntwe, NT
2019 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2019 Gesture -Aboriginal Bush Traders. Darwin, NT
2019 Inbetween|the gaps| act I - Marché aux Vins- Beaune, France
2018 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery, Mparntwe, NT
2018 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2018 Work by aselection of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Art Award Finalists 2018- Tunbridge Gallery. Cottesloe, WA
2018 NationalAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA - Telstra) - MAGNT.Darwin, NT
2018 Bold andBeautiful - Talapi . Alice Springs, NT
2018 AlicePrize - Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2017 Parrtjima,A Festival in Light - Desert Park. Alice Springs, NT
2017 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists Gallery. Alice Springs, NT
2017 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2017 Soft Light- Talapi. Alice Springs, NT
2016 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists Gallery. Alice Springs, NT
2016 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2015 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
2015 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2015 HoldingSilence - Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts & Cultural Centre. Katherine, NT
2015 Bold andBeautiful - Talapi. Alice Springs, NT
2015 DesertColour - Talapi. Alice Springs, NT
2014 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery, Mparntwe, NT
2014 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2014 Cars,Cowboys and Cockatoos - Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery. Sydney, NSW
2013 Bindi Eye- Tali Gallery. Rozelle, NSW
2013 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery, Mparntwe, NT
2013 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2013 Broncos,Birds and Boulders - Charles Darwin University Gallery. Darwin, NT
2012 BindiMagic - Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Arists Gallery, Mparntwe, NT
2012 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2011 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2011 Kate OwenGallery - Rozelle, NSW
2011 GalleryGabrielle Pizzi - Melbourne, VIC
2010 KarenBrown Gallery - Darwin, NT
2010 GalleryGondwana - Gallery Gondwana, Mparntwe, NT
2010 AlcastonGallery - Melbourne, VIC
2010 Indigenart- Perth, WA
2010 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre, Mparntwe, NT
2010 RAFTArtspace - Alice Springs, NT
2009 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre, Mparntwe, NT
2009 Tony Bond- Adelaide, SA
2009 GabriellePizzi - Melbourne, VIC
2009 BindiGroup Show - Gallery Gondwana, Mparntwe, NT
2009 GalleryGondwana - Alice Springs NT
2008 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre, Mparntwe, NT
2008 LandscapeMasters - Alcaston Gallery. Melbourne, VIC
2008 GalleryGondwana - Alice Springs, NT
2007 GabriellePizzi - Melbourne, VIC
2007 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre, Mparntwe, NT
2007 Tony Bond- Adelaide, SA
2007 AlcastonGallery - Melbourne, VIC
2006 KarenBrown Gallery - Darwin, NT
2006 AlcastonGallery - Melbourne, VIC
2006 Tony Bond- Adelaide, SA
2006 TogArt :Celebrating Northern Territory Inspired Contemporary Art - Parliament House.Darwin, NT
2006 Naïve -Gallery Gondwana . Alice Springs, NT
2006 GabriellePizzi - Melbourne, VIC
2006 GalleryGondwana - Sydney, NSW
2005 BigCountry - Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs NT
2005 GabriellePizzi - Melbourne, VIC
2005 GalleryGondwana - Sydney, NSW
2005 KarenBrown Gallery - Darwin, NT
2005 Tony BondGallery - Adelaide, SA
2005 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre, Mparntwe, NT
2004 KarenBrown Gallery - Darwin, NT
2004 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2004 BigCountry - Gallery Gondwana. Alice Springs NT
2004 TelstraArt Award - MAGNT. Darwin, NT
2004 BindiBoxes - Alcaston Gallery. Melbourne, VIC
2004 Apmere -Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi. Melbourne, VIC
2003 Desert Mob- Araluen Art Centre. Mparntwe, NT
2003 The BindiPerspective - Gallery Gondwana. Alice Springs NT