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Over 80 years ago, a group of 16 Aboriginal men working at Birrundudu Station were commissioned to create a collection of 810 drawings.
While Birrundudu Station is located 695 km south-west of Katherine on the Western Australian-Northern Territory border, the 16 men hailed from a diverse group of cultural and linguistic groups all across the two states – and those crayon and paper drawings documented the mens’ cultural heritage, ancestral creation, knowledge of Country and regional ceremonies.
Commissioned by anthropologists Ronald and Catherine Berndt, the drawings were created over three intensive months – and were a precursor to the emergence of the celebrated Western Desert art movement in 1971 at Papunya.
Now, over 100 of these works will be on display for the first time ever thanks to Birrundudu Drawings, a free exhibition four years in the making that involved the work of over 40 cultural authorities, artists descendants, academics, researchers and other experts.
Artists’ descendants and connected communities in Balgo, Billiluna, Halls Creek, Kalkarindji (Wave Hill), Lajamanu, Yuendumu and Mparntwe (Alice Springs) were visited by the team during this four-year process – even revealing artworks to artists’ families for the first time, including Paddy Padoon Jangala’s grandson Robert McKay.
“We didn’t go looking for them,” said McKay. “It’s like they came looking for us.”
Running from February 14-April 4, 2026 at Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery (UWA) Birrundudu Drawings will also coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Berndt Museum, which is now an Indigenous-led cultural institution within UWA’s School of Indigenous Studies.
“The lessons we can draw from this vast archive, supported by other senior knowledge holders and their
families and communities, is of profound importance,” said Museum Co-Director Dr Jessyca Hutchens (Palyku).
“The re-engagement with these drawings has been actively shaping how we think about significant
collections of Indigenous peoples’ cultural heritage, how we should work with them and where we
should be going.”
“They were created at a time when so much was being rapidly and deliberately dispersed and destroyed,” added Museum Co-Director Dr Stephen Gilchrist (Yamatji).
“Now, their descendants and communities can bring story, song, place and ceremony back to life.”
Artists in the exhibition include Bullwaddy Warlnu, Kampiny (Quartpot) Jakamarra, Kalangka (Jackie) Janama (Japanangka), Kulminy (Tommy) Jakamarra, Lariyari (Mick) Japangarti, Lefthand (Jampu) Jungarrayi, Muluntu (Billy) Julama, Mungalyurru Jampijinpa, Nipper Wanapiti Japaljarri, Paddy Padoon Jangala, Porgi Ratnya Jungurrayi, Ralnga (Old Charlie) Janjalngana Jampijinpa, Splinter Dardayi Yani Jangala, Wattie Upar Jampijinpa, Waranjiwarnu (Paddy) Japaljarri, Yariyari (Arthur) Jangari, Muluntu (Billy) Julama, Jimmy Tchooga.
The exhibition will open with a performance in the Sunken Gardens on February 13, with floor talks with descendants, cultural authorities, artists, curators and researchers held on Saturday, February 14 from 12.30pm. Find out more here.
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