Serena Ken Pitjantjatjara, b. 1985
Ngayuku ngura - My Country, 2025
acrylic on linen
122 x 198 cm
768-25
Serena Ken paints her grandmother’s country at Watarru. She paints Ngiṉṯaka (Perentie) Tjukurpa, Tjirilya (Echidna) Tjukurpa, Tjakura (Great Desert Skink) Tjukurpa and Tinka (Sand Goanna). These animals and their stories...
Serena Ken paints her grandmother’s country at Watarru. She paints Ngiṉṯaka (Perentie) Tjukurpa, Tjirilya (Echidna) Tjukurpa, Tjakura (Great Desert Skink) Tjukurpa and Tinka (Sand Goanna). These animals and their stories come together like a connected family, to show the oneness of Serena’s family’s country. Serena’s paintings centre around Ngiṉṯaka, or perentie, a very large monitor lizard with large yellow spots known as a strong and emotional reptile to Anangu. Anangu prize them for their delicious fatty meat. Ngiṉṯaka Wati is an important creation story for the Watarru area. Serena paintings also include kapi tjukula (rock holes) and nests on the sandy hills to show where animals travelled to find water and rest before nesting.