#284 Seeded Bush Yams (Multi) ARTIST: DULCIE LONG PWERLE 107CM X 76CM
Artist: Dulcie Long Pwerle
Region: Utopia, Northern Territory
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Completed: 5 September 2025
Title: Seeded Bush Yams
Biography:
Dulcie Long Pwerle is an Anmatyerre woman and emerging artist from the Utopia region of Central Australia. Born in 1979 at Boundary Bore Outstation, Dulcie is the daughter of renowned Utopia artist Jeannie Petyarre and part of one of Australia's most celebrated artistic families.
Dulcie continues the rich painting tradition of her extended family, which includes some of the most influential names in contemporary Aboriginal art: Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre, Greeny Purvis Petyarre, and the celebrated Pwerle sisters—Minnie, Emily, Galya, and Molly.
Her work predominantly explores the Bush Yam Leaves Dreaming, a sacred story from her ancestral country. Through vibrant colour palettes and rhythmic, flowing brushstrokes, Dulcie captures the energy and reverence of this plant, which is central to her people's cultural and ceremonial life. The Bush Yam is not only a source of sustenance but also a spiritual symbol, honoured in traditional song, dance, and storytelling.
Dulcie's art embodies the continuity of culture, combining ancestral knowledge with a contemporary visual language. Her contributions to the Utopia art movement reinforce her family's legacy while offering a fresh and individual perspective.
