"Seven Sister Dreaming" By Nyrulla Possum Burns

Artist: Nyrulla Possum Burns

Size (H x W): 92.5 x 148 cm

This is the ancient myth of the Milky Way and the Seven Sisters (Pleiades).

This dreaming was inherited by Nyrulla from her mother and grandmother.

The story takes place at Twenty Mile, located near Napperby Creek in the Northern Territory. The Seven Sisters travelled over a vast expanse of country, until they realised that they were being followed by a man called Wati-Nyiru (who was a Tjakamarra man). With little hope of relief, the Seven Sisters escaped through a fire at Kurlunyalimpa to the Milky Way, where they became the stars of the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus.

There they are safe and at rest and watch over all the women on earth.

Wati-Nyiru followed them to the heavens and become the star Orion, unable to get near them as they move across the night sky. The painting depicts the cloud formations in front of the Milky Way in the night sky. The seven concentric circles represent the Seven Sisters while the lone star represents Orion (Wati-Nyiru).

About the Artist – Nyrulla Possum Burns

Nyrulla Possum Burns is a proud Indigenous artist and the daughter of Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi, one of Australia’s most celebrated First Nations artists. Her family has a strong artistic legacy - Nyrulla is also the granddaughter of the iconic Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri and Emily Nakamarra Possum, a respected Luritja woman.

From a young age, Nyrulla painted alongside her mother, learning both the cultural knowledge and storytelling that guide her work. Her paintings are known for their precision and cultural depth, and her Seven Sisters Dreaming pieces are highly sought after across the world.

The Seven Sisters Dreaming is a powerful story passed down through her grandmothers and mothers, and Nyrulla continues to paint it with respect and care.

Today, Nyrulla lives and works in Melbourne, close to her family, continuing a tradition of art that speaks to Country, culture, and kinship.