Martha Protty – Kungka Kutjara

As a senior law woman of the Kaltukatjara area, Martha’s work draws significant inspiration from local landscape and Tjukurpa (dreaming) stories. Martha’s whole family have lived and travelled in the Kaltukatja area for generations, and her paintings are a tribute to her significant cultural and historical contribution to her community.

This painting depicts Kungka Kutjara, meaning Two Women, and is one of the most significant Tjukurpa stories of the Western Desert region. It tells the story of two sisters travelling through the desert. As they travelled, their actions created landmarks such as rock holes and mountain ranges, forging a record of their travels across the land.

Martha is a lively and animated artist whose works draw a connection between the physical and spiritual realms of her life. She sings Inma (ceremony) songs continuously as she paints, her steady voice offering a rhythm for the brush.