Art, words and photos from Central Australian Aboriginal Art Centres Quarterly edition, Autumn 2022
THE DESART RADAR
Ninuku Arts light up Sydney! For Australia Day 2022, renowned Pitjantjatjara artist Mr Yatjitda David Miller was commissioned by the State Government of NSW to create a painting that would be projected onto the sails of the Sydney Opera house. His artwork depicts the Wati Ngintaka, or perentie lizard man, stealing a special grindstone, stopping at waterholes and discovering food as he travels across the land.
“ The painting tells the story of my father’s country. I’m really pleased my father’s Dreaming will be displayed on the Opera House and everyone will see it. I’m very proud and honoured.” Image: Yadjidta David Miller with his work Ngintaka projected onto the Sydney Opera House for Australia Day 2022. Photo: Anna Kucera.
A new sculptural direction for Walkatjara Arts Walkatjara Arts has been exploring plaster works as part of an exciting new direction, following a period of artistic experimentation with found materials, sculpture and three dimensional work. It also sparked the creation of a larger than life three metre long Ngintaka (Perentie Lizard) sculpture during the Summer school holidays, which involved the youth and the senior artists of Mutitjulu, and was the source of much joy and cultural connection amongst the community. Watch this space! The new plaster works will be exhibited as part of Toorak Sculpture Exhibition during May and June this year. www.toorakvillage.com.au/sculpture
Images: (top) Papa work by Valerie Brumby. Photo courtesy the art centre. (middle) Rene Kulitja working on Tjulpu sculpture. Photo courtesy the art centre. (bottom) Charmaine Kulitja with her Wararitja sculpture. Photo courtesy the art centre.
Desert Mob to move to complete First Nations ownership The Desart Executive is proud to announce that the ownership of the Desert Mob Exhibition will now sit with Desart. The decision was made after a review into Desert Mob by the NT Government at Desart’s request. Desart CEO Philip Watkins noted Araluen Art Centre in partnership with Desart had grown the Desert Mob suite of events into the outstanding event that it is today. “But after thirty years our Executive said it was time for the event to sit with a First Nations organisation in line with other major First Nations events around the country.” he said. The Desart Executive acknowledges the work of the Araluen team over the years and continues to have a strong relationship with Araluen Art Centre who are working with Desart ensuring a collegiate transition of the event to Desart. Exhibition opens Thursday 8 September – September 23 2022 Marketplace Saturday 10 September Araluen Arts Centre Watch this space www.desart.com.au Image: Desert Mob 2019 Exhibition. Charlotte Phillipus Napurrula, Kalipinypa 2019. Photo: James Henry, Desart.
“ The painting tells the story of my father’s country,” Miller says. “I’m really pleased my father’s Dreaming will be displayed on the Opera House and everyone will see it. I’m very proud and honoured.” – Yadjidta David Miller Image: Ngintaka by Yadjidta David Miller projected onto the Sydney Opera House for Australia Day 2022. Photo: Anna Kucera.
Image: Balgo Collaborative Painting for Dialysis Story, painted On Country in response to the critical need for Dialysis in Balgo, 914 x 610mm acrylic on canvas. Image courtesy the art centre.
Balgo Dialysis Appeal As well as launching Balgo Beginnings, Balgo mob also had the most important mission in Adelaide of launching the Balgo Dialysis Appeal. With the help of Purple House Dialysis, and a huge thanks to Sarah Brown, Balgo mob are standing up and asking everyone to help bring family home. Staying on Country for treatment keeps culture and communities strong. “We were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the experience we had in Adelaide and are so thankful to all the support we received over this time. To support us in getting dialysis services to Balgo and learn more about these events head to our social media platforms @warlayirti_artists.”
Ikuntji Artists take out two Telstra Best of Business Awards! Ikuntji Artists have won two categories in this year’s Telstra Best of Business Awards for the NT; Building Communities and Indigenous Excellence. From a huge 24,320 applications, Ikuntji Artists were named as part of the 56 state winners across the eight categories and now move onto the national competition in April. Ikuntji Artists are proud to be working with artists and the community on Country celebrating heritage of culture, intergenerational knowledge transfer while always evolving their mediums of creative expression. The recognition of these achievements come during a difficult time when the art centre has been working hard to recover economically and socially while continuing to support the strong painting culture in the community that has endured since the 1980s.
Image: Eunice Napanangka Jack painting at Ikuntji Artists Haasts Bluff 2018. Photo: Tobias Titz.
Balgo Beginnings In October 2021, Balgo mob travelled over 2000km to Adelaide to do a few monumental things… As part of Tarnanthi, Balgo Beginnings opened at the South Australian Museum; marking the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the Balgo art movement. “Balgo is one of the most famous schools of Aboriginal art. Yet it is a story with most of the early pages torn out. In the early 1980s, spurred on by family painting at Papunya, Balgo people were keen to join the desert painting movement. Yet the paintings created in these early contexts disappeared before they could become an exhibition; before they could become Balgo art. Rediscovered in 2019, after four decades in a shipping container, they have been conserved by Artlab, collected by the South Australian Museum, and are being displayed for the very first time alongside the most contemporary of Balgo works.” – John Carty (Tjakamarra), Head of Humanities South Australian Museum. Image: (above) Matthew West and Dulcie Nanala (Balgo Elders) speaking at the Balgo Dialysis Appeal Fundraiser Night, Adelaide. Photo: Sia Duff.
Image: Balgo Elders; Jimmy Tchooga, Matthew West, Gary Njamme, Sadie Paddoon, Dulcie Nanala (L-R) and Professor John Carty (Tjakamarra) at Balgo Beginnings opening. Photo: Brad Griffin.
ISSN 2209-7988
7 – 8 May
Revealed Opening weekend
27 – 29 May
Revealed online market
3 – 10 July
National NAIDOC week
5 – 7 August
Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair
7 August – 6 February
Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
8 Sept – 23 October
Desert Mob Exhibition
10 September
Desert Mob Market Place
** As COVID-19 may impact the delivery of any of the events listed here please check respective websites and socials for up to date information.
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