Doris Bush NUNGARRAYI : Ulumbaru - The place where I grew up

DORIS BUSH NUNGARRAYI

Ulumbaru: the place where I grew up

DORIS BUSH NUNGARRAYI

Ulumbaru: the place where I grew up

Important paintings exhibited in TARNANTHI, 2021 Art Gallery of South Australia Everywhen Artspace June 10-28, 2022 In partnership with Papunya Tjupi Arts Front: Mangarri Tjuta & Pilkati Anta Rumiya (All the Bush Food and the Snake and Goanna), 2021, acrylic on linen, 152 x 91 cm (detail) Left: Kungka Mankurrpa (Three Women), 2021, acrylic on linen, 152 x 122 cm (detail) Over: Doris Bush Nungarrayi at Papunya.

Photo Papunya Tjupi Arts Text ©Susan McCulloch, Papunya Tjupi Arts Design ©Lisa Reidy Images ©The artists Published by Everywhen Artspace

introduction

Now in her 80s, Doris Bush Nungarrayi is one of the most senior artists of her art centre Papunya Tjupi Arts based in the community of Papunya, 240k northwest of Alice Springs. She is one of a handful of Central Australian artists still painting who spent their early years living a largely traditional life on their lands.

This unique set of works was commissioned in 2021 by the Art Gallery of South Australia to feature in that gallery’s TARNANTHI exhibition of Aboriginal art.

The subject Nungarrayi chose to record was that of her early bush life in and around important creation sites such the Dingo Dreaming site of Nyumanu, to the southwest of Kintore, those around her birth place of Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff) and, as she described in an artist’s talk at TARNANTHI, those of Ulumbaru, 8k from Papunya.

“I am the only one telling those stories now,” she said.

In these 6 important works, Nungarrayi has recorded the events of creation stories (tjukurrpa) such as the snake and goanna as well as vivid memories her happy early life in the bush – eating, hunting and swimming with her friends and family as well as love stories of her youth. In some works, she has depicted the traditional tools and weapons she and her friends used (and which she still makes) including kali (boomerang), wana (digging stick), puli (grinding stone), kutitji (shield), kulata (spear) and kantikanti (hitting stick).

Many of the paintings relate events and places that are simultaneously of secular and sacred creation nature and about which she is unable to reveal much detail.

Susan McCulloch May 2022

This painting depicts the snake and goanna as both creation and secular beings. As Nungarrayi relates: “Snake this one, eating, here, at the water. This mob over there are stabbing it with a spear. He’s trying to bite and eat that one over there. And that over there is coming to look at him, that one. This one, he’s watching, he is, ‘ooohhh!’, sneaking up intending to bite it.

That one over there … he bit him, that goanna yep, this one. Coming to here, coming through the bush to the water, ‘ooohhh!’, they see it!

‘What happened here?’

Over there, a goanna is coming along. Going, going into the bush, across the water, sneaking up to try and bite it. Yeah, this one, two men standing, over there is another, there watching all this the snake, see? And see this line ... he’s slowly sneaking along it. After that, that one over there stabs him with a spear, with a spear he stabbed. Went and got that goanna and ate it, over there came, and see all this mob.”

Pilkati Anta Rumiya (Snake and Goanna), 2021, acrylic on linen, 122 x 122 cm | MM5964 | $4900

Here, Nungarrayi has recorded the traditional tools and weapons that were used by her and her friends in the bush. Included are kali (boomerang), wana (digging stick), puli (grinding stone), kutitji (shield), kulata (spear) and kantikanti (hitting stick). Documented also is the creation and secular story of the meeting between a snake and a goanna.

Pilkati, 2021, acrylic on linen, 152 x 122 cm | MM5963 | $5900

This painting depicts Nungarrayi’s vivid memories of her happy early bush life, in which she would hunt and collect bush tucker and swim with her friends and family.

Kungka Mankurrpa (Three Women), 2021, acrylic on linen, 152 x 122 cm | MM5962 | $ 5900

This painting conflates both the secular and the sacred as Nungarrayi remembers both her early happy years and the huge variety of bush foods available to collect and eat; and the creation and secular story of the snake and the goanna.

Mangarri Tjuta & Pilkati Anta Rumiya (All the Bush Food and the Snake and Goanna), 2021, acrylic on linen, 152 x 91 cm | MM5961 | $ 4600

In this multi-dimensional work, Nungarrayi has remembered her early bush life - hunting and swimming at Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff). She talks of sand hills where the young people would wander naked looking for water, “chasing” the water until they found a water hole. The young men and women would swim together and make love by the water hole. Eventually, she explains, the young people fall in love and are married. She is also remembering the traditional tools used (and which she still makes). stone), kutitji (shield), kulata (spear) and kantikanti (hitting stick). As well, she has related the story of the snake and goanna. “Snake this one, eating, here, at the water. This mob over there are stabbing it with a spear. He’s trying to bite and eat that one over there. And that over there is coming to look at him, that one.

Mangarri Tjuta & Pilkati Anta Rumiya (All the Bush Food and the Snake and Goanna, 2021, acrylic on linen,152 x 122 cm | MM5960 | $5900

This one, he’s watching, he is, ‘ooohhh!’, sneaking up intending to bite it. That one over there … he bit him, that goanna yep, this one. Coming to here, coming through the bush to the water, ‘ooohhh!’, they see it!

‘What happened here?’ Over there, a goanna is coming along. Going, going into the bush, across the water, sneaking up to try and bite it.

Yeah, this one, two men standing, over there is another, there watching all this the snake, see?

And see this line ... he’s slowly sneaking along it. After that, that one over there stabs him with a spear, with a spear he stabbed. Went and got that goanna and ate it, over there came and see all this mob. Yeah, finished like that, that’s how I made this one by the water.”

Doris Nungarrayi has painted a plentiful memory from her past in the early days when she was learning from her mother at Wilura and Nyumanu – a Dingo Dreaming site just to the southeast of the remote Aboriginal community of Kintore in the Northern Territory.

She talks of her and her mother handling different types of Mangarri (food). As Doris talks about these memories, she enacts the handling and eating of mai (food), drinking kapi (water) and of breaking open pura (big wild bush tomatoes) to eat the flesh and collecting and eating of ilyuru (a sweet natural cotton-candylike bush food). She talks of different tools to do this like wana (digging sticks) and speaks of other parts of the fruitful landscape such as witya (trees).

Bush Mangarri Tjuta, 2021, acrylic on linen, 152 x 91 cm | MM5959) | $4600

These days, when Doris sits in Papunya to paint, she sits under a large watiya (tree).

She remembers that this same type of watiya was at Nyumanu too, and her and her mother would sit under it. Doris recalls the whole family sitting around nikiti way (without clothes in the old days) and without any other Western tools.

Doris explains “Billy can wiya! Blanket wiya! (no billy cans, no blankets!) Just running around!”

Biography Doris grew up at Haasts Bluff where she met and married George Bush Tjangala, a Luritja/ Amnatyerre speaking man whose family came from just west of Alice Springs. Together they had three sons, Kenny, Christopher, and Simon.

Doris has six grandchildren: granddaughters Stephanie, Benita, Verina and Chelsea-Anne and grandsons Gavin and Joshua.

Doris Bush giving an artists talk in front of her paintings at TARNANTHI, AGSA, 2021

Doris (Darinji) Bush Nungarrayi Luritja artist Doris (Darinji) Bush Nungarrayi was born in Haasts Bluff/Ikuntji circa 1942.

Her father was Warlpiri, and came into the ration depot from his country around Kintpore, west of Nyrripi after the birth of Doris’s eldest brother Wirri Tjungurrayi. Her mother Yalkutjari Nakamarra was a Pintupi woman from the Kintore region whose father was ‘boss’ for the Kintore region and is buried there. Doris is a contraction of Dorothy – she is also known by her bush name Darinji. She had a younger sister also called Dorothy (b1952) whose bush name was Danisa.

George Bush was one of Papunya Tula Artists’ original shareholders, though he did not paint much for the company apart from a brief period in the early 1980s. In the mid 1980’s the family went to live on an outstation at Nyumanu Doris’s mother’s country near Kintore, towards the WA/NT border. Later the couple divided their time between Papunya and Alice Springs, where George painted for the ‘government gallery’ (Centre for Aboriginal Artists and Craftsmen) in Alice Springs.

After her husband’s death in 1997, Doris spent increasing amounts of time in Papunya.

She was a familiar figure in some of the Aboriginal art galleries of Alice Springs, asking for canvas and paints, although she received no encouragement.

After Papunya Tjupi Arts was established in Papunya in late 2007, Doris quickly became one of its most prolific and enthusiastic painters and is usually the first to arrive each morning when – or even before – the doors open. In March/April 2012 she had her own solo exhibition at Damien Minton Gallery in Redfern Sydney, the first artist to do so under the auspices of Papunya Tjupi. Since, she has

held a number of other solo exhibtions, been a finalist in leading art awards, and exhibited internationally.

Doris paints Nyunmanu and the traditional Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) of this place, Dingo Dreaming. She also paints vivid memories, stories and dreams from her life, with her work often telling happy stories from her early days in Ikuntji , Nyumanu and Ulumbaru, near Papunya – eating, hunting and swimming with her friends and family in the bush. Doris’ works embody her nature of a true storyteller with her expressive style, bold use of colour and recognisable motifs.

Finalist in the TELSTRA National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (2020, 2021, 2022), Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize (2019) and shortlisted in the Alice Art Prize (2018), her work is held in the Artbank Collection, Macquarie Bank Collection, University of Western Sydney Collection, The Hassall Collection and private collections internationally.

In 2021 she was commissioned by the Art Gallery of South Australia, to create a special series of paintings to feature in the 2021 TARNANTHI exhibition.

Solo Exhibitions 2022 Doris Bush Nungarrayi: Ulumbaru: the place where I grew up, Everywhen Artspace, Flinders, VIC 2022 Doris Darinji Bush Nungarrayi, Short Street, Broome, WA 2019 Darinytjiku Alatji: RAFT Artspace, Alice Springs, NT 2016 Doris Bush Nungarrayi: Papa Tjukurrpa: RAFT South, Tasmania 2013 Beyula Puntungka Napanangka and Doris Bush Nungarrayi: Two Person Show, Mossenson Galleries, Melbourne 2012 Doris Bush Nungarrayi: This is a Love Story: Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney Group Exhibitions 2021 TARNANTHI Exhibition: Art Gallery of South Australia 2021 Desert Mob 30: Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs NT 2021 Kapi Walpa Wangkanyi: RAFT artspace, Alice Springs, NT 2021 Summer Salon 2021: Artitja Fine Art Gallery, South Fremantle, WA 2020 TARNANTHI 2020 Art Fair – AGSA: Lot 14, North Terrace, Adelaide 2020 Cultural Connections – The Gift of Story: Artitja Fine Art Gallery, South Fremantle 2020 Desert Mob 2020 Exhibition: Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs 2020 Telstra NATSIAA: MAGNT, Darwin 2020 Kungka Ngaranyi: Online Viewing Room, Papunya Tjupi 2020 In Black + White: Everywhen Artspace, McCulloch and McCulloch, Flinders, VIC 2020 Ngurrangka palyanu – making from home: Outstation Gallery, Darwin 2020 Every Painting has Tjukurrpa: Contemporary Paintings by Women of the Desert: Michael Reid, Berlin, Germany 2020 Tjupi Taanu Revisited: RAFT artspace, Alice Springs 2020 I Know My Country: Artitja Fine Art Gallery, South Fremantle 2020 Papunya Tjupi Arts 2020: Honey Ant Gallery, Sydney 2019 Kuwarritja – now / newness: Outstation Gallery, Darwin.

2019 Back To The Desert – Neue Werke Von Papunya Tjupi Arts: ARTKELCH – Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Germany 2019 About Country: Talapi, Alice Springs, NT 2019 Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize, Finalist Exhibition: Bayside Gallery, Brighton, VIC 2019 Kungka mankurrpakunu warrka: Aboriginal and Pacific Art 2019 Stories from the Beginning: Honey Ant Gallery, Sydney 2019 Colours of My Country: EVERYWHEN Artspace, McCulloch & McCulloch, Flinders, VIC 2018 TARNANTHI: Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Adelaide 2018 Tjupi Boards: Kulinyi Tjilpi Tjutanya: RAFT Artspace, Alice Springs

2018 Desert Mob Exhibition 2018: Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 2018 Darwin Art Fair 2018: Darwin, AUS 2018 Inyani Mantakutu – Light Becomes Sand: Outstation Gallery, Darwin 2018 Ngayuku: Belonging: Aboriginal and Pacific Art Gallery, Sydney 2018 Papunya Tjupi Works 2018: Honey Ant Gallery with Incinerator Art Space, Sydney.

2018 Papunya Tjupi: New Work: JGM Art, London UK 2018 A Sense of Place 2018: McCulloch & McCulloch Whistlewood Gallery, Shoreham VIC 2017 Twelve: Contemporary Aboriginal Works on paper: Koskela, Sydney NSW 2017 Desert Mob Exhibition 2017: Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs NT 2017 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair 2017: Darwin, NT 2017 Tjupi Taanu (When the Honey Ant Bursts): Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT 2017 Puri: New Shade: Outstation Gallery, Darwin 2017 Farben den Wüste: ARTKELCH @ Teppichhaus Jordan, Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany 2017 ArtKelch presents Papunya Tjupi at Art Karlsruhe: Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, Germany 2017 Papunya Tjupi Arts: The Incinerator, Willoughby, Sydney 2016 The Power of Naivity: Art Kelch, Collectors Lounge, Schorndorf, Germany 2016 Don’t you tell me... : Art Kelch, Freiburg, Germany 2016 Desert Mob: Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 2016 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair: Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin 2016 Streets of Papunya: The Reinvention of Papunya Painting: Drill Hall Gallery, ANU, Canberra 2016 Keepers of Place: New Works from Papunya Tjupi: McCulloch & McCulloch, 45Downstairs, Melbourne 2016 Streets of Papunya: The Reinvention of Papunya Painting: RMIT Gallery, Melbourne 2016 Streets of Papunya: The Reinvention of Papunya Painting: Flinders University Gallery, Adelaide 2016 Papunya Tjupi Arts: The Incinerator, Willoughby, Sydney 2016 Remember Me. Stories in Print.: AAMU, Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Art, The Netherlands 2015 Streets of Papunya: The Reinvention of Papunya Painting: UNSW Galleries, Sydney 2015 Desert Mob: Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 2015 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair: Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin 2015 Desert Dreaming: Art Images Gallery, Adelaide 2015 New Narratives: Papunya Tjupi Prints with Cicada Press 2006-2014: Kluge-Ruhe Museum – UVa Charlottesville, Virginia, USA 2014 Desert Mob: Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 2014 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair: Darwin Convention Centre 2014 Seoul – Sydney: Contemporary Korean and Australian Prints: UNSW Galleries, Sydney 2014 Kungka Tjutaku Wititjanku: Women Keeping Culture Strong: Mossenson Galleries 2014 Ngurra Nganampa (Community): Woolloongabba Art Gallery, Brisbane

2013 Papunya Tjupi: New Work: Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney 2013 New Paintings from Papunya Tjupi Arts: JGM Art Ltd, London 2013 Desert Mob: Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 2013 Salon des Refuses: The Old Bank, Darwin 2013 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair: Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin 2013 Papunya Tjupi: Chapman Gallery Canberra 2013 Seoul Korean Art Fair: Seoul, Korea 2013 Kapingka punganynka Tjupi tjutarringanyi: Marshall Arts, Adelaide 2013 ArtStage Singapore: ArtStage Singapore, Mossenson Galleries 2012 Papunya Tjupi Artists: ADAIA and Galerie Karin Carton, Versailes, Paris, France 2012 Papunya Tjupi: Marshall Arts, Adelaide 2012 Keating Speech: Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney 2012 Desert Rhythm – Artists of Papunya Tjupi: Mossenson Galleries, Melbourne 2012 Desert Mob: Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs 2011 UNSW International Showcase: UNSW Kensington, Sydney 2011 Papunya Tjupi: Generations: Mossenson Galleries, Melbourne 2011 Papunya Tjupi Arts: ARTKelch Gallery, Germany 2011 Papunya Tjupi Artists: Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney 2011 Papunya Tjupi: Mina Mina Gallery, Queensland 2011 New Prints from Papunya Tjupi Arts: Nomad Arts, Canberra and Darwin 2011 Kuwarritja Tjutaku Papunya Tjupinya: Chapman Gallery Canberra 2011 Desert Mob: Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs 2011 AUS DEM LAND DER HONIGAMEISE/From the Land of the Honey Ant: ARTKelch Gallery, Germany 2010 Tjukurrpa: Papunya Tjupi Arts: Mossenson Galleries, Melbourne 2010 Papunya Tjupi Arts Group Exhibition: Randell Lane Fine Art, Perth 2010 Papunya Power: ArtMob, Hobart 2010 Desert Stories Papunya Tjupi Now: Gecko Gallery, Broome 2010 Desert Mob: Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs 2010 Art of Women: Randell Lane Fine Art, Perth 2009 Papunya Tjupi Group Show: Gecko Gallery, Broome 2009 Papunya Tjupi: Honey Ant Gallery, Sydney 2009 Kalipinypa: Mossenson Galleries, Melbourne 2009 Introducing Papunya Tjupi and Ampilatawatja: Gallery Gondwanna, Alice Springs 2009 Desert Mob: Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs 2009 Building Papunya Tjupi: Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney 2008 Were talking about Papunya again: Art Mob, Hobart

Awards 2021 Telstra NATSIAA Finalist, Darwin 2020 Telstra NATSIAA Finalist, Darwin 2019 Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize, Finalist 2018 Alice Prize, Shortlisted Award exhibitions 2022 Finalist, Telstra NATSIAA, Darwin 2021 Finalist, Telstra NATSIAA, Darwin 2020 Finalist, Telstra NATSIAA, Darwin 2019 Finalist, Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize 2018 Shortlisted, Alice Prize Collections Alison and Peter W. Klein Collection, Sammlung Klein, Germany.

Artbank Macquarie Bank Collection The Hassall Collection University of Western Sydney

EVERYWHEN Artspace specialises in contemporary Australian Aboriginal art featuring paintings, barks, ochres, ceramics, sculptures and works on paper from 40 + Aboriginal art centres from around Australia.

Directors Susan McCulloch OAM and Emily McCulloch Childs.

EVERYWHEN Artspace 39 Cook Street, Flinders VIC 3929 T: +61 3 5989 0496 E: info@everywhenart.com.au everywhenart.com.au

DORIS BUSH NUNGARRRAYI Ulumbaru: the place where I grew up In partnership with Papunya Tjupi Arts June 10-28, 2022