Elder and senior artist Alice Guiness holds a deep connection with the Burndud, an important site and story for the Yindjibarndi people. Each stroke of the Burndud circle tells a story and it is through her special connection that Alice shares these stories with the world.
Opening Event: 6 February 2025
Exhibition Open: 7 February – 17 April 2025
Supported By: Boorloo Contemporary Program Partner Wesfarmers Arts, Perth Festival.
The Burndud circle is an important site and story for the Yindjibarndi people. It is a sacred law ceremony, taught by the Marrga (ancestral creation spirits who shaped and named the country) in the times of Ngurra Nyujunggamu (when the world was soft, the learning times).
Elder and senior artist Alice Guiness holds a deep connection with the Burndud. Each stroke of the Burndud circle tells a story and it is through her special connection that Alice shares these stories with the world. Alice expresses her deep joy and positivity by painting the Burndud, mirroring the ceremony she dances every year at law ground in a circular continuous motion until the boys have returned from the first part of initiation. Her use of bold colour and vibrating patterns embody the rhythms and movement of the women dancing and the men singing. Alice’s Burndud paintings have become iconic across the Pilbara, representing Yindjibarndi Ngurra at many festivals and events.
Burndud Ground, commissioned by Perth Festival and presented by John Curtin Gallery, invites reflection on Alice’s lived experience with painting, ceremonial dance and connection to Ngurra. Along with a broad survey of Alice’s Burndud paintings, this major commission is a pathway for Alice to explore new mediums such as neon sculpture and immersive media installation. Audiences are invited to see, feel and hear Yindjibarndi Ngurra through vibrations of light and sound which teach the Burndud Song Cycle of birds, animals, plants, hills, water places, the stars and the moon. Alice’s works in collaboration with her family and friends to share the rich breadth of Yindjibarndi culture. Juluwarlu Art Group, who have worked with Alice for many years, are producing and supporting this commission, encouraging a growth in scale, immersive presentation and experience of Yindjibarndi Ngurra.
Alice Guiness has been painting since the 1990s, joining various art groups around Roebourne. She is an artist living with a disability that makes it hard for her to communicate and express herself. Painting is at the centre of her life; she paints the same subject repeatedly, selecting different colour patterns to express her feelings and connection to her Ngurra (country).
Juluwarlu Art Group is a collective of Yindjibarndi artists who celebrate Yindjibarndi Country, culture and language through a diverse range of artistic practices. The collective operates from 3 main sites- Ieramagadu (Roebourne) and Ngurrawanna (Ancestral Yindjibarndi Country) which are both located in the Pilbara region of North West WA – as well as having a studio at Goolugatup Heathcote (Perth).
The art group is part of Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation (JGAC), an Aboriginal owned and governed organisation that is dedicated to preserving, recording and promoting the culture of Yindjibarndi people.
“Here at Juluwarlu, it’s always been our passion to teach the next generation, because they [the Elders] gave it to us for that reason. So we’re using any media form: digital media, sculpture, anything to do with art, canvas, we’re putting it out there to teach Yindjibarndi culture. And if that’s the way to go for the next generation to learn my culture, or learn our culture, it’s important that we keep doing that.” Lorraine Coppin, CEO. Juluwarlu website.
Header Image: Alice Guiness, Burndud (detail), 2022, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 80 cm
