Yurpiya Lionel is part of the art center Ernabella Arts.
Yurpiya was born at the homeland Donald’s Well, near Kenmore Park, about 45 kms east of Ernabella. She is the daughter of Pantjiti Lionel, a very senior Pitjantjatjara woman and artist. Her family lived in Ernabella where she attended school. In 2004 Yurpiya started
painting at Ernabella Arts and is now a leader of the women’s painting studio. She has three children and several grandchildren – her daughters Rachael and Alison Lionel are rising stars of the painting and ceramic studios.
Yurpiya is also a very accomplished fibre sculptor and weaver. In 2011 her work was acquired by the University of Newcastle. In 2015 Yurpiya was a finalist in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, and in 2018 she was a finalist in the Wynne Prize.
In 2017 she exhibited alongside her two daughters and her mother in The Lionel family – Tjukurpa Titutjura kunpu ngaranytjaku (Keeping our tjukurpa strong forever.)
In 2018 Sabbia Gallery featured her work at Sydney Contemporary. In the same year, her paintings were exhibited in APY LANDS LA: Central Desert Painters of Australia in Los Angeles.
In 2020 she participated in Nganampa ngura-nguru nyurampa ngurakutu (From our place to your place) at Aboriginal Signature in Brussels.
Yurpiya continues to exhibit both nationally and internationally.
>> CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SELECTION OF ARTWORKS
Collections:
- University of Newcastle, 2011
Selected Group Exhibitions:
- 2023 – Songlines. Centres d’art du désert australien, IDAIA, Ambassade d’Australie, Paris, France
- 2023 – Aboriginal Contemporary, Sydney, NSW – Walytjaṟa Minyma Lionel – Lionel Ladies
- 2023 – Aboriginal Signature, Bruxelles, Belgium – Caress the Earth II : Manta Ngura Atuntju Kanyini II
- 2022 – Aboriginal Signature, Brussels, Belgium – Profundity – Art from the APY Lands
- 2021 – Outstation, Darwin, NT – Ernabella Arts Group Exhibition
- 2017 – ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany – FINALISTS. 1997 – 2017
- 2017 ARTKELCH @ Teppichhaus Jordan, Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany – Farben der Wüste
- 2016 – Parcours des Mondes, Paris, France – Tradition and Innovation
- 2015 – RTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany – Dots, Dots, Dots und die Punkte des Holzwurms
- 2015 – ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany – Ausblick – Einblick
- 2015 – Karlsruhe, Germany – art Karlsruhe 2015
SOURCE: Ernabella Arts