Juanella McKenzie

Juanella McKenzie is an Adnyamathanha and Luritja artist who combines ancient and modern practices to tell the stories of her people. McKenzie spent much of her childhood on Country, where she learnt cultural practices from her Elders, which she now passes onto her children.

Yurndu (Sun) was created using the traditional technique of weaving emu feathers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, McKenzie started to weave this work, which took more than 100 hours to make. As well as featuring emu feathers, Yurndu includes a garland of quandong seeds. Emus play a critical role in the plants’ regeneration, with each quandong seed representing growth and resilience. The weaving acts as a symbol of hope, the artist’s wish that the sun will shine on a new day that is free of this pandemic.