Alma Webou was born circa 1928 and passed away in 2009. She was a Yulparija elder who grew up in Pinkalakara in the Great Sandy Desert. Alma led a traditional existence until the early 1970s when severe drought forced the Yulparija people to move to Bidyadanga on the coast. Alma said, “Pinkalakara is the place I was born and grew up; this is my mother’s country. (It is near Joanna Spring on Anna Plains station close to the Canning Stock Route.) This country has lots of mayi (bush food). I lost my mummy and sister here.” Alma cried when she painted Pinkalarta. Many of her family died as a result of the droughts in this country. Alma was a senior law woman and was well respected in her community.
Solo Exhibitons
2005 Pinkalarta, Short St Gallery @ Mary’s Place, Sydney, NSW
Group Exhibitions
2007 Desert Heart, Nevill Keating Gallery, London, England
2007 From Pinkalarta to Lungarung: Alma (Kalaju) Webou & Weaver Jack, Aboriginal and
Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW
2007 From the Bungalow I: Yulparija Artists, Johnston Gallery, Perth, WA
2006 Northern Journey, The Priory at Bingie, Bingie, NSW
2006 Bidyadanga Women, Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2006 2006 Outback Art Prize, Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, Broken Hill, NSW
2006 Right here, right now: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander acquisitions, National Gallery
of Australia, Canberra, ACT
2006 23rd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art
Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2005 The return of our land, Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, NT
2005 Mummy + daughter, Jan Billycan and Alma Webou, Willam Mora Galleries,
Melbourne, Vic
2005 Painting Country – A West to East Journey, World Expo Aichi, Japan
2005 Bidyadanga 2005 – Recent Works, Short St Gallery, Broome, WA
2004 Desert Ocean, Short st. Gallery @ Kidogo Gallery, Fremantle, WA
2004 Divas of the Desert, Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, NT
2004 Bidyadanga Artists, William Mora Gallery, Melbourne, Vic
2004 Bidyadanga Art, Art House Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2004 21st Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museum and Art
Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2004 Bidyadanga Artists, Raft Art Space, Darwin, NT
2004 Desert to Saltwater, Short st. Gallery @ Mary Place Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2003 Manyiljara, Short st. Gallery, Broome, WA
Collections
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory
Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery
Laverty Collection
Myer Collection
Sam Barry Collection
Harvey Wagner Collection, USA
NSW State Gallery