Wokka Taylor
WOKKA Taylor (DEC)
BORN
CIRCA 1939, KULYAKARTU, WA
DIED
2022
COUNTRY
MARTU
SKIN
KARIMARRA
COMMUNITY
PARNNGURR, WA
LANGUAGE
MANYJILJARRA
About
Martu man Wokka Taylor (dec), was born circa 1939 in the far north of the Martu homelands near Kulyakartu. During pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling times) times, Taylor and his family travelled to Kulyakartu in the wet season. During the dry season they travelled south to the Percival Lakes region, camping at its numerous waterholes along the way.
A respected senior Martumili artist and Martu Elder, Taylor also worked as a Parnngurr Ranger, drawing on his ecological and cultural expertise in caring for Country. Taylor’s extensive knowledge of Martu Country enabled him contribute to culturally important collaborative works alongside fellow Martumili artists. Such works are intimate renderings of Country, often depicting the Martu native title determination, an area of over 136,000 km2 to which the Martu were awarded exclusive native title rights. These collaborative works are characterised by their astonishing ecological complexity, describing Martu Country in incredible intricacy from its subterranean layers up.
Sadly, Wokka Taylor (dec) passed away in early 2022. The highly respected Elder is survived by his family, and his legacy lives on his work.
WORK
This work depicts Kulyakartu, a significant site in the far north of the Martu homelands. During pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) times, Taylor and his family travelled to Kulyakartu in the wet season to take advantage of the vast grassy planes that made for excellent hunting.
Wokka Taylor (dec), alongside his brother Muuki, also an artist was a highly regarded senior Martu man. Together, they held an encyclopaedic knowledge of Martu Country, including a deep understanding of the ecology and biodiversity of their land. In collaborative works, the brothers charterd the intricate network of underground waters sustaining their Country.
Taylor’s characteristic style featured densely layered dot work flowing rhythmically across the canvas, suggesting warm winds moving gently over sandhills or soft desert grasses. In this work, Taylor lovingly traced sinuous blue lines snaking their way across the plush grasslands of Kulyakartu, conjuring images of subterranean waters that support the fragile biodiversity of this site.
FIND
ART CENTRE
MARTUMILI ARTISTS
EAST PILBARA ART CENTRE
NEWMAN DRIVE, NEWMAN
WA 6753
GALLERIES
COURT HOUSE GALLERY, PORT HEADLAND, WA
ABORIGINAL CONTEMPORARY, SYDNEY, NSW
ABORIGINAL SIGNATURE, BRUESSELS ,BELGIUM)
ARTITJA, FREEMANTLE, WA
MCCULLOCH AND MCULLOCH, SHOREHAM, VIC
PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY, DARWIN, NT
SUZANNE O’CONNELL GALLERY, NEW FARM, QLD
VIVIEN ANDERSON GALLERY, MELBOURNE, VIC
YAAMA GANU, MOREE, NSW
WOKKA TAYLOR (DEC) PHOTOGRAPHED BY TOBIAS TITZ
