Artists of Tjuntjuntjara | 2023

Artists of Tjuntjuntjara

Artists of Tjuntjuntjara PART ONE 16 August - 16 September 2023

Aboriginal & Pacific Art in association with Spinifex Arts Project, Tjuntjuntjara, Western Australia

Front cover image: Lawrence Pennington, Mituna #17-254, acrylic on canvas, 95 x 85cm

Kanta Donnegan Untitled #19-318 Acrylic on linen 110 x 85 cm

Spinifex Lands. Image courtesy Spinifex Arts Project 2023

Lawrence Pennington Mituna #17-254 Acrylic on canvas 95 x 85 cm

Lawrence Pennington is a senior man from Mituna in the Great Victoria Desert of Western Australia in an area known as the Spinifex Lands. Growing up as a young boy in this country and then following his initiations as a young man has given Lawrence intimate knowledge of the sites, the stories and the features of the Spinifex Lands. As a senior traditional owner of Mituna he is allowed to speak for this place and has painted it here in this major work. The painting details other sites of significance in the vicinity of Mituna including many small rockholes, which fill with water only after rain. Along the creek lines are trees kurku (mulga) and kurkara (desert oaks).

In significant painting such as this much of the detail placed into the work is miil-miilpa (dangerously sacred) and cannot be elaborated. Lawrence will identify the major sites shown, leaving the knowledge about what is at, or passes through that site, known only to those who have the status to already know. At Mituna several Tjukurpas are present including Wati Kutjara (the serpent men from Pukara) and Kalaya (Emu beings).

Lawrence Pennington Wait Kutjara #19-380 Acrylic on linen 137 x 90 cm

Fred Grant Piralyi #20-155 Acrylic on linen 110 x 85 cm

Tjaruwa Woods Tuwan and Kamanti #14066 Acrylic on linen 60 x 75 cm

Simon Hogan Lingka #21-175 Acrylic on linen 110 x 85 cm

Winmati Roberts Tjara #22-288 Acrylic on linen 110 x 85 cm

Lawrence Pennington Mituna #18-339 Acrylic on linen 110 x 85 cm

Kanta Donnegan Tjuntjun #21-236 Acrylic on linen 137 x 90 cm

Simon Hogan Lingka #21-387 Acrylic on linen 137 x 110 cm

Tjaruwa Woods Kuru Ala #14158 Acrylic on linen 137 x 90 cm

Tjaruwa Woods Purpurnya #15-220 Acrylic on linen 137 x 90 cm

Ian Rictor Tuwan #17-010 Acrylic on linen 137 x 90 cm

Spinifex Lands. Image Courtesy Spinifex Arts Project 2023

Dora Parker Pukara Mapanpa #22-334 Acrylic on linen 110 x 85 cm

Dora Parker Wati Ngintaka #22-241 Acrylic on linen 137 x 90 cm

Ian Rictor Tuwan munu Kamanti #23-94 Acrylic on linen 137 x 110 cm

Ian Rictor painting ‘Tuwan munu Kamanti’ at Spinifex Arts Project in 2023.

“Nyangatja painting ngayuku ngura Tuwan Tjuntjuntjara munkara alinytjara. Tuwan milmilpa kanyanyi Tjulpu Tjuta Tjukurpa ka Wati Nyii Nyii Tjuta Euclalakutu munu tjanampa kulata tjutaku kapingka tjura ka kapi pala katuni patila.”

This painting is of my country up north of Tjuntjuntjara called Tuwan.

Tuwan holds the sacred Tjulpu Tjuta Tjukurpa (many Birds Creation Line) and follows a group of Wati Nyii Nyii (Zebra Finch Men) who travel to Eucla and place their many spears in the water to hold back the rising sea.

Ian Rictor Tuwan #23-165 Acrylic on linen 137 x 110 cm

Byron Brooks Kapi Tjuta #22-135 Acrylic on linen 137 x 110 cm

Artists of Tjuntjuntjara PART ONE Presented by Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney, in association with Spinifex Arts Project, Tjuntjuntjara, Western Australia

16 August - 16 September, 2023

Aboriginal & Pacific Art, 1/24 Wellington Street, Waterloo, NSW, 2017 Australia Ph: +61 2 9699 2211 E: info@aboriginalpacificart.com.au W: www.aboriginalpacificart.com.au

All images and text copyright the Artists and the community, Spinifex Arts Project, Tjuntjuntjara, Western Australia