Artist

Ms D Yunupiŋu was a Yolŋu elder and celebrated contemporary Australian artist based in Yirrkala in the Northern Territory. Her celestial paintings trace the ancestral story of the Djulpan of the Pleiades constellation, known as the Seven Sisters, as passed down to her from her father. 

The daughter of the late Gumatj leader, activist, and prominent Australian painter Munggurrawuy Yunupingu (c.1905–1979), Ms D Yunupingu comes from a family revered across artistic, literary and political fields, including her brother, Dr G Yunupingu, the former Northern Land Council chairman and a leader in land rights legislation; Yothu Yindi lead singer Dr Mandawuy Yunupingu; and her sisters, the highly esteemed artists known collectively as the ‘Seven Sisters’ including 2004  National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NAATSIA) winner Ms G Yunupingu (c. 1945 – 2012); Ms B Yunupingu (c. 1948 – 2012); 2022 NATSIAA Bark Painting Award winner Ms D Yunupingu (c. 1945 – 2022); 2008 NATSIAA Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award winner, 2017 NATSIAA Bark Painting Award winner and 2021 Wynne Prize winner Ms N Yunupingu (c. 1945 – 2021); Dhopiya Yunupingu; Ranydjupi Yunupingu; and, Ms D Yunupingu herself.

In 2023, Alcaston Gallery, who had previously represented several of her sisters, invited Ms D Yunupiŋu to present her debut solo exhibition, Gurmalili – Tears of the Djulpan. Following the success of the exhibition, she was invited to present a prominent, large-scale solo installation at TARNANTHI Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide. In 2024 she was awarded the high-coveted Wynne Prize presented by the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney and in 2025 her work was showcased in the landmark exhibition Yolŋu Power: the art of Yirrkala at the Art Gallery of NSW, with her powerful painting chosen for the cover of the publication.      

Ms D Yunupiŋu developed into a distinguished painter with precise technique and an exquisite sense of composition. Her singular style, restrained use of colour and significant accolades not only denote the continuation of a powerful family lineage but mark her as a distinct voice within it. She leaves an immense artistic and cultural legacy.     

© The Estate of the Artist, Buku-Larrnggay Mulka and Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne

For an extended CV, please contact Alcaston Gallery at art@alcastongallery.com.au