Collection: Adrianna Robinson

DOB 11/1978

Birthplace Yuendumu

Bush name Gunija

Skin Name Napurrula

Language Warlpiri

Town Katherine, NT

Adrianna has been painting since the year 2000.  She is following in the footsteps of her family, especially her mother, Gladys Napaltjarri, (deceased).  Adrianna’s paintings focus on the traditional role of women who gather bush fruit and dreamtime creation stories from her mother’s side.  These “Women’s Dreamings” are stories of women ancestors who traveled across the desert gathering food, often pursued by men.  At some places, as legends and songs told to Adrianna by her family explain, how the men caught the women and according to women’s euphemistic accounts, ‘sat down with them.  Adrianna depicts this story in her Promised Husband painting.  Her family continues to pass down stories, which Adrianna plans to incorporate into her artwork. Adrianna has extended her colour range from earth colours to brighter hues, sometimes even doing double or triple dots which give her paintings a three-dimensional look.  She remembers fondly collecting some of her favourite foods such as the lerp scale.  It is produced by a minute pink-coloured grub, which sucks the sap of eucalyptus leaves.  In this process the leaves become covered with a wafer-thin white crusty scale, and a heavy infestation gives the leaves a white furry appearance.   Adrianna said they used to remove the scale with their thumbnail and eat it.  It has a pleasant sugary eucalyptus taste.  Adrianna said that sometimes they dissolved the scale in water to make a sweet drink.  In some desert areas it is called sugar bread.

Adrianna has painted for many galleries within the Northern Territory and her artwork continues to evolve by adding new stories that she is told about by her extended family.

In October 2010 Adrianna and a Rarrk painter, Manuel Pamkal from the Top End were invited to put on a workshop in Japan.  The manager of the Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa Group invited them to be part of the “Australian Fair” after participating in the cultural experience at Top Didj & Art Gallery.  Adrianna had a wonderful time sharing her culture and in return, learning about Japanese culture. Adrianna and Manuel were successful in the Brolga Tourism awards taking out the Indigenous Tourism Award for 2010.