Bugai Whyoulter

Bugai is a Kartujarra woman and a senior custodian of the lands surrounding Kunawarritji (Canning Stock Route Well 33). She was born in the 1940s at Pukayiyirna, on present day Balfour Downs Station, though her parents soon travelled northward with her through Jigalong
and Nullagine toward Kunawarritji. She grew up, walked and hunted with her parents, younger sister Pinyirr Nancy Patterson (dec.), and extended family, primarily travelling around the eastern side of the Karlamilyi (Rudall River) region and along the midsection of the
Canning Stock Route, from Kartarru (Canning Stock Route Well 24) to Kunawarritji (Canning Stock Route Well 33). As a young woman Bugai travelled up and down large tracts of the 1850km long Canning Stock Route, where she and her husband met and walked with
cattle drovers.

In 1963 Bugai’s family encountered the surveyor Len Beadell, who was then grading roads for the Woomera Missile Testing Range. He gave the family flour, which Bugai was able to use to show her relatives how to cook a simple damper (flat bread). Bugai had herself been
taught how to bake with flour during her earlier interactions with drovers in her travels on the Stock Route. Shortly afterward Bugai, her husband and the extended family group she was with at the time together decided to move to Jigalong Mission. There they joined many
other relatives that had already travelled in from the desert following a prolonged and severe drought. They were some of the last Martu to leave the desert.

From Jigalong, Bugai moved to Aboriginal communities in Strelley, Punmu, and Parnngurr before relocating to Kunawarritji Aboriginal community, where she continues to live today. There she was taught to paint by renowned artists Nora Nungabar (Nyangapa) (dec.) and
Nora Wompi (dec.). The three women painted together as often as possible.

For a long time before she began painting, Bugai wove baskets as she observed her friends painting. Later, she explained that she had been uncertain how to begin. Today Bugai is considered one of most established Martumili Artists, and is known as a master of colour, gesture and subtlety. Her self reflective works are layered with distinctively delicate brushmarks, with subtle colour changes representing landmarks, water sources,
and desert flora. Bugai's work was selected for the 2019, 2018 and 2013 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, the 2012 Bankwest Contemporary Art Prize and Hedland Art Award, and the 2010 Western Australian Indigenous Art Award. In 2023 and
2024, Bugai was a finalist in Australia’s most prestigious Indigenous art exhibition, the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), and in 2021 she was the NATSIAA recipient of the highly lauded ‘General Painting Award’.
Bugai has held regular solo exhibitions, and her work has been acquired by several major institutions in Australia, including The National Museum of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, and Queensland Art Gallery’s Gallery of Modern Art.

Solo Exhibitions
2023 October Tarnanthi 2023, Art Gallery of South Australia
2023 August Ngayu Bugai (I am Bugai), Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
2022 April Bugai Whyoulter, Survey Exhibition (2015-2021) Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne VIC
2019 July Bugai, The Goods Shed, Claremont, WA
2011 April Jartijiti (33) Bugai Whyoulter, Seva Frangos Art, Perth, WA
2010 January Bugai Whyoulter, Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW

Group Exhibitions
2024 March Following in Footsteps, Martumili Gallery, Newman WA
2024 February How To Swim, Edwina Corlette, New Farm QLD
2023 October Paper Wangka (Paper Story), Chapman and Bailey, Melbourne, Vic
2023 September Desert Mob 2023, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs
2023 July TDF Collect Presents: ‘Martumili Artists’, Collingwood, Vic
2023 June Crossing Country, Artija Fine Art Gallery, South Fremantle, WA
2023 April Le Chant Aborigene des Sept Soeurs, IDAIA, Paris, France
2023 April Songlines - Centres dart du desert australien, IDAIA/ Australian Embassy, Paris, France
2022 October Rawa - A long time, Aboriginal Contemporary, Sydney, NSW
2022 August Waru (Fire), Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2022 April Nyinani (Staying put), Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2022 March Paper Wangka (paper story)
2022 March Tracks We Share, Art Gallery of Western Australia (curated by FORM), Perth WA
2021 August Martumili Mob, The Courthouse Gallery, Port Hedland, WA
2021 May Paper Wangka (Paper Story), Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2021 April Pukurlpa (happy inside), Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2020 October Martumili Ngurra - Our Country, Aboriginal Contemporary, Bronte, NSW
2020 September Belonging to Martu, Harvey Arts Project, Idaho, US
2020 September Ngurra Means Home, Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2020 April Strong Country, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
2020 March Matriarchs 2020, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
2020 March I know my country, Artitja Fine Art Gallery, Perth, WA
2020 January Living Water, Aboriginal Contemporary, Waverley NSW
2020 January Kujungka- Young and Old Together, Aboriginal Signature, Brussels, Belgium
2020 January Contemporary Desert Art, Dellasposa, London, UK
2019 September Punmukarti!, Yaama Gaanu, Moree NSW
2019 July Desert Mob 2019, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2019 July Martumili Kuulkaja (Martu Schools), Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2019 July Nyurnma (burnt Country), Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin NT
2019 March Martu Wangka, Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2018 October Hedland Art Award, The Courthouse Gallery, Port Hedland, WA
2018 September Wantili - Bugai & Cyril Whyoulter, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
2018 July Warla Tuwa, Aboriginal Contemporary, Bronte NSW
2018 April Martuku Ninti (Martu Knowledge), Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne VIC
2018 February Pujiman, Martumili Artists and Spinifex Hill Artists, Port Hedland Courthouse Gallery, WA
2018 January Voice of the custodians of the Homeland: Martumili, Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, Bruxelles, UK
2017 October Hedland Art Award, The Courthouse Gallery, Port Hedland, WA
2017 September Art at the Heart, Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2017 September Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters, touring exhibition from National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT
2017 September Desert Mob, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2017 July Community Life, Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2017 May After The Rains, Martumili Gallery, Newman, WA
2017 April Flight: Aboriginal Perspectives from the Sky, FORM Gallery, Perth, WA
2017 March Constellation, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
2017 March Women of Martu, Suzanne OConnell Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
2016 November Three Deserts Singing, Frewen Arts, Piccadilly, Mayfair, London, UK
2016 October Martumili Artists – Nyliangkurr, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin NT
2016 September Desert Mob, Araluen Art Center, Alice Springs, NT
2016 August Hedland Art Award, The Courthouse Gallery, Port Hedland, WA
2016 August 33: Wompi Bugai Nungabar, Fremantle Art Centre, Fremantle, WA
2016 January Summer Salon and Art Parade, Whistlewood, McCulloch and McCulloch, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
2015 October Palya, Martumili Artists, Tjarlirli Art and Warakurna Artists, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Brightspace, VIC
2015 October Leading Ladies, Suzanne OConnell Gallery, New Farm, QLD
2015 October Tarnanthi, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA
2015 September Desert Mob, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2015 July Martumili Artists, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin. NT
2015 June Pukurlpa - Good Inside, Yaama Ganu Gallery, Moree, NSW
2015 May Together as One Martu - Art from the far Western Desert, The Gallery Shop, Waverley, NSW
2015 January The Summer Collectors Show 2015, McCulloch & McCulluch Gallery, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
2014 December Martumili, Harvey Art Projects USA
2014 September Martu Art From the Western Desert, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, NSW
2014 September Desert Mob, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2014 May Malya Yuturringu; be a star, State Theatre Centre, Perth, WA
2014 April Right Now, Boomalli Gallery, Leichardt, VIC
2013 August Salon des Refuses, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin
2013 July Ngayunlu-laju parturnparakula kujungka: Old people painting together, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
2013 June Painting It Martu Way, Art Mob, Hobart, TSA
2013 April Selected works by the Martumili Artists, Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT
2013 March The Great Sandy Desert, Yaama Ganu Gallery, Moree, NSW
2012 November We Don t Need A Map: a Martu experience of the Western Desert, WA
2012 November Deserts & Rivers, FORM Gallery, Perth, WA
2012 November Martumili Artists 2012, Merenda Gallery, Perth, WA
2012 September Desert Mob, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2012 August Warla: an explanation of the salt lakes in the Great Sandy Desert, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2012 May Martumili Artists Recent Works, William Mora Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2012 April Martumili Artists at Art Mob, Art Mob, Hobart, TAS
2011 January Martumili Artists, Outback Fusion Festival, Newman, WA
2011 January Jakulpa laju kartyinpa (Bringing a message), Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2011 January Green, Outstation, Darwin, NT
2011 January Yiwarra Kuju – One Road, One People, Perth Convention Exhibition Centre, Perth, WA
2011 January Yiwarra Kuju – One Road, One People, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW
2011 January Waru! Holding Fire in Australias Western Desert, Thomas Welton Gallery, Stanford University, San Francisco, USA
2010 January Shalom Gamarada Ngiyani Yana (We walk together as friends), Waterhole Art, Sydney, NSW
2010 January Warla Tjartrjal (Edge of the Lake), Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2010 January Yiwarra Kuju – One Road, One People, National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT
2010 January Martumili Group Exhibition, Redot Art Gallery, Singapore
2009 January Wangka-Lampaju (Our Story), Randell Lane Gallery, Perth, WA
2009 January Desert Mob, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2009 January Warranpalampa (Our Country), William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC
2009 January Yankuni laju karnkani kujungka (We are travelling together by air), Red Dot Gallery, Singapore
2009 January Warranpalampaju kayili yaninpa (Our Country travelling north), Raft Art Space, Darwin, NT
2008 January Laltu tujuparaku, yulpalpa yirnaparaku (Lots of women, little bit men), Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW
2008 January Jitirangu (Rainbow), Randell Lane Gallery, Perth, WA
2008 January Ngurra waltja wakarni (We are painting country), Short St Gallery, Broome, WA
2008 January Martumili Artists Recent Works, William Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC

Collections
ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
ART GALLERY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
GALLERY OF MODERN ART, QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY
KLUGE-RUHE ABORIGINAL ART COLLECTION OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF VIRGINIA
NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA
THE WESFARMERS COLLECTION
Awards
2026 Finalist, 69th Blake Prize
2024 Highly Commended, 41st Telstra NATSIAA Awards
2022 Finalist, Hadleys Art Prize
2021 Best Painting, 38th Telstra NATSIAA Awards
2019 Finalist, 36th Telstra NATSIAA Awards
2018 Finalist, 35th Telstra NATSIAA Awards
2013 Finalist, 29th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres
Strait Islander Art Award
2013 Finalist, Glencore Art Centre Award
2012 Finalist, Bankwest Contemporary Art Prize
2012 Finalist, Hedland Art Award
2010 Finalist, Western Australian Indigenous Art Award