Frank Young
Artwork title: Urrtjanpa
Medium: Acrylic on linen
Size: 153 cm x 153 cm
SOLD
About the Artwork
Frank is a respected elder that lives in Amata on the APY Lands. Frank is telling the story of Urrtjanpa found around Watarru in South Australia. “The name of the kulata tree is Urrtjanpa. After we cut a branch, we take it to fire, we peel it and turn it on the fire to straighten it into a spear. Using a kangaroo tendon and a special glue called kiti – made from spinifex seeds. Urrtjanpa grows on hills and sand dunes. We dig for its straight root. The best spear is Tjumutja – it flies far and high”.
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About the Artist
Frank Young was born near Artuti on the APY Lands in 1949. He is a senior man and has been a longtime director of Tjala Arts and supporter of APY Art Centres. As a young man Frank worked with senior men during the 1970s Land Rights Movement on the APY Lands.
He is former chairperson of Waturru Community, Amata Community and APY Council. Frank has worked alongside senior men on collaborative canvases at Tjala Arts and across the region and also worked collaboratively with his grandson Anwar Young and niece Unrupa Rhonda Dick on Kulata Tjuta - Wati Kulunypa Tjukurpa (Many spears - Youngfella Story) which won the overall prize at the National Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in 2017.
Frank has worked on the Kulata Tjuta Project with Senior Men in Amata since its inception in 2010 and has worked on all iterations of the project, including the 2014 Adelaide Biennial Dark Heart and the 2015 and 2017 Tarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia.
Frank is also a painter, and was nominated for the 2023 Sulman Prize at AGNSW and 2024 Wynne Prize and NATSIAAs. Frank held his debut solo exhibition at APY Gallery Sydney in March 2024.