Art, words and photos from Central Australian Aboriginal Art Centres
Winter 2024
THE DESART RADAR
Reggie Uluru Renaissance
After an outstanding solo show at this year’s Melbourne Art Fair, Reggie Uluru keeps the momentum going with several new shows. A joint show with Simon Hogan at Chapman and Bailey’s new gallery 8 Hele in Mparntwe/Alice Springs will run 7th – 28th September. Reggie will also have work exhibited at Sydney Contemporary in September, following that, a solo show with D’Lan Contemporary in his new gallery, Upper East Side, New York opening in May 2025. In addition to his exhibitions, Deakin University have acquired one of Reggie’s works for their collection.
Reggie Uluru is a highly respected senior artist with Walkatjara Art in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and a Traditional Owner for Uluru. Reggie took part in the official handback by the Australian Federal Government in 1985 and was instrumental in the decision to close Uluru to climbing.
Image: Reggie Uluru, 2024 Chapman & Bailey booth MAF ‘24.
Photo: Andrew Curtis, courtesy Chapman & Bailey.
Listen to the Land 28 years of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival
Each year the Alice Springs Beanie Festival runs regular onsite workshops in the lead-in to the annual event. This year workshops were held at Keringke Arts, Artists of Ampilatwatja, Arlpwe Art and Culture Centre, and Tapatjatjaka Art and Craft. Ladies from Arlpwe Art and Culture Centre and Tapatjatjaka Art and Craft presented workshops at the festival.
To celebrate the winners of this year’s Beanie Festival exhibition themed Listen to the Land, Yarrenyty Arltere artists were asked to create the awards.
Images: (Top) (L-R) Deb Taylor-Tompson, Evelyn Young, Margaret Bloomfield, Jilary Lynch, Lauren Bloomfield, Chantelle Mulladad, Cassara Heffernan. Image courtesy Keringke Arts. (Middle) Nancy Long Nungarrayi with her beanie, image by Tanya Hattingh, courtesy Arlpwe Art & Cultural Centre. (Bottom) Yarrenyty Arltere Artists created the awards for the winning entries in the 2024 Beanie Festival exhibition, Listen to the Land. Image courtesy Yarrenyty Arltere Artists.
Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands)
Iltja Ntjarra artists had a blast being involved with Parrtjima, A Festival in Light in April this year. Kathy Inkamala, Dellina Inkamala, and Raylene Inkamala painted one of the 3 cars of the ‘Arrernte’ installation. The collection is now a permanent exhibition at the Rediscovery Centre in Mparntwe Alice Springs. The captivating beauty of Vanessa Inkamala’s artwork was also showcased at Parrtjima 2024 through a unique installation titled Tjoritja Cockatoos.
Image: Iltja Ntjarra artists with their installation from left to right: Everard Pei Pei, Hubert Pareroultja, Reinhold Inkamala, Vanessa Inkamala, Mandy Malbunka, and Mervyn Rubuntja. Image courtesy Parrtjima 2024.
Desart welcomes new member art centre
Based in Yuelamu, in Anmatyerr Country, Tanami Desert, about 277 km northwest of Mparntwe / Alice Springs, Inkwareny Artists of Yuelamu was established in October 2023 and became Desart members earlier this year.
‘We are building our art businesses and organisation. We are developing our art centre and gallery led and operated by us and we embrace new opportunities through art and culture. Our goal is that through art Anmatyerr culture is strong for generations to come. Inkwareny means honey ant in Anmatyerr.’ – Yuelamu artists.
Image: Picture of Inkwareny artists in their soon to be art centre and gallery: (L-R) Lisa Mpetyan Cook, Kathy Pengart Bagot, Melissa Pengart Morton, Rosina Pwerrerl Stafford, Shirk Ngal Cook, Rowena Nungarrayi Larry.
Image: Reggie Uluru, Wati Ngintaka Perentie Lizard Man (detail), acrylic on linen, 199 x 198cm.
Photo: Andrew Curtis, courtesy Chapman & Bailey.
Artists of Ampilatwatja mixed media workshops
Led by print maker Peta West and visual artist Julia Collinson, the artists spent ten days learning new skills including lino and fabric dyeing. The mixed media sessions allowed artists the freedom to experiment with mark making, colour, shape, pattern and texture.
For most of the artists this was the first time they had carved lino and dyed fabric while others enjoyed revisiting old skills. The artwork produced during the workshop was based on Arreth (strong bush medicine), with all participating artists also contributing to a collaborative plant print project, the creative outcome is stunning.
‘Carving takes time, it’s time spent good and it’s worth it when you see the print.’ – Jacinta Pula Morrison.
Image: Jacinta Pula Morrison.
Image courtesy Artists of Ampilatwatja.
Desert Mob 2024
In late April - early May, the Desert Mob team of Hetti Perkins, Aspen Beattie and Tim Chatwin hit the road to visit art centres in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands and APY Lands and around Uluru-Kata Tjuta, with videographer Rhett Hammerton in tow. Aside from driving through some breathtakingly beautiful country, we were also delighted to meet new artists and staff and catch up with familiar faces. It’s always such a privilege to experience first-hand the work of the incredible artists and staff who keep community art centres powering along! Desert Mob 2024 is shaping up to be another amazing event this year and the Desert Mob team is looking forward to continuing our collaboration with art centres and more travels throughout the desert homelands in the coming months. Our sincere thanks to those who welcomed and hosted us and to those we missed seeing – see you next time!
The Desart Curatorial Program is supported by the Ian Potter Foundation.
Our Art Our Culture
In 2024, Aspen Beattie, Desert Mob’s Assistant Curator, was accepted into the Re(situate) Biennale Delegates Program through Creative Australia. Aspen is a Luritja, Warumungu and Yawuru woman from Mparntwe and has been a part of the Desart team since 2021.
This program served as a vital part of Aspen’s professional development, offering her the incredible opportunity to network with arts workers on a national and international scale during her time at the Venice Biennale.
‘I feel incredibly privileged to have been able to spend time in Archie Moore’s kith and kin exhibition space, especially in the company of several other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – it is an equally beautiful and devastating exhibition that deserved every ounce of praise it received, including the esteemed Golden Lion award.’
Image: Aspen Beattie and Hetti Perkins, Kaltukatjara (Docker River), May 2024. Image Tim Chatwin.
2024 Red Ochre Awards stand strong on art centre
history.
Ernabella Arts was commissioned by Creative Australia to produce the First Nations Arts & Culture Awards 2024. Alison Milyika Carroll was the recipient of the Red Ochre Award in 2020.
Seven ceramic awards were created by Alison Milyika Carroll, Rupert Jack, Langaliki Lewis and Marissa Thompson. Alison’s walka (design) was also chosen by Creative Australia as the logo for this year’s awards. The bases of the awards are handmade from the original Oregon timber rafters in the Craft Room that was established in the 1940’s and was the precursor to the Ernabella Arts art centre.
Artworks left to right: Marissa Thompson, Langaliki Lewis, Rupert Jack, Alison Milyika Carroll. Image courtesy Ernabella Arts.
Image: Rupert Jack, Maku Maku – Mr Jack’s Story at Ernabella Arts, Pukatja. Image courtesy Ernabella Arts.
Key dates
9 – 11 August Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair
9 August Telstra NATSIAA Ceremony
5 Sept – 20 Oct Desert Mob
18 – 20 Oct Tarnanthi Art Fair
Email blasts for Desart members
Keep up to date with industry news, grants, art prizes and competition opportunities. Email strongbusiness@desart.com.au if you’re missing out on our grant and competition email blasts.
Reg Harris Lane – Todd Street Mall
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Northern Territory 0871 Australia
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Chief Executive Officer Philip Watkins ceo@desart.com.au
Finance Mellisa Kramer finance@desart.com.au
Corporate Services Manager
Paul Sweeney csm@desart.com.au
Producer, Desert Mob
Tim Chatwin producer@desart.com.au
Curator, Desert Mob
Hetti Perkins curator@desart.com.au
Assistant Curator, Desert Mob Aspen Beatie desertmob@desart.com.au
Strong Business Program Manager Carmel Young strongbusiness@desart.com.au
SAM Platform Manager
Bronwyn Taylor sam@desart.com.au
SAM Communications & Training Coordinator
Scott Denholm training@sam.org.au
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Jane Chambers digitallabelling@sam.org.au
