MINYMA (WOMAN): COLLECTIVE ARTWORKS FROM THE BURTON WOMEN
Current exhibition
Short St Gallery is honoured to present Minyma (Woman), a collection of commanding artworks from the renowned Burton family collective. The Burton Women’s Collaborative is an extraordinary group of artists from the Anangu community who come together to create powerful and meaningful art pieces that honour and remember their culture and traditions. Through collaborative painting sessions, these women are strengthening their art practice and their bonds within their immediate family and community. By harnessing their collective creativity, they are able to amplify their familiar voices and share their unique perspectives with the world. The collaborative nature of their work speaks to a deep sense of solidarity and mutual respect among the participants, reinforcing the importance of family and community within the Anangu culture.
The Burton Women depict the Minyma Mingkiri Tjuta Tjukurpa (desert mice story). The mingkiri are pregnant and give birth to many babies, then journey to the surrounding rock holes in search of food and water for their young. The dotted lines represent travel paths as the mice journey for water, the circles represent Kapi Tjukula (waterholes) where the mice stop and rest along the way and colour is used to represent changes in landscape.
The Burton women paint in Amata on the Anangu Pitjantjara Yankunytjara Lands. They are the daughters and granddaughters of the prolific and highly celebrated artist Kunmanara (Wawiriya) Burton who further paint to remember, celebrate, and pass on her stories. Minyma further includes historical artworks and contributions by the late Beverly Kunmanara Burton, "When I am painting, I am thinking of my grandmother’s Country, Anumara Piti. That’s my father - Mr Hector Burton - that’s his mother’s Country. I use the colours of my grandmother’s Country – red, orange, brown. But also green of the grasses coming up after rains; pink, yellow, white wildflowers; blue sky. I like to think about the colours I’m using -- colour nyaa? (What colour?) -- the colours of Country.”
Short St gallery invites you to view Minyma via our gallery or online. A catalogue can be obtained at, enquiries@shortstgallery.com.
The Burton Women depict the Minyma Mingkiri Tjuta Tjukurpa (desert mice story). The mingkiri are pregnant and give birth to many babies, then journey to the surrounding rock holes in search of food and water for their young. The dotted lines represent travel paths as the mice journey for water, the circles represent Kapi Tjukula (waterholes) where the mice stop and rest along the way and colour is used to represent changes in landscape.
The Burton women paint in Amata on the Anangu Pitjantjara Yankunytjara Lands. They are the daughters and granddaughters of the prolific and highly celebrated artist Kunmanara (Wawiriya) Burton who further paint to remember, celebrate, and pass on her stories. Minyma further includes historical artworks and contributions by the late Beverly Kunmanara Burton, "When I am painting, I am thinking of my grandmother’s Country, Anumara Piti. That’s my father - Mr Hector Burton - that’s his mother’s Country. I use the colours of my grandmother’s Country – red, orange, brown. But also green of the grasses coming up after rains; pink, yellow, white wildflowers; blue sky. I like to think about the colours I’m using -- colour nyaa? (What colour?) -- the colours of Country.”
Short St gallery invites you to view Minyma via our gallery or online. A catalogue can be obtained at, enquiries@shortstgallery.com.