Nganampa Ngura (Our Place)

ReDot Fine Art Gallery in conjunction with Ninuku Arts presents:

Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) Senior Artists - Group Exhibition

Wedneday, May 23rd till Saturday, July 21st, 2012

For a high resolution, downloadable, PDF version of the this catalogue, with pricing, please send us an email to info@redotgallery.com Thank you.

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“The “Nganampa Ngura” (Our Place) exhibition boasts an exciting group of master works painted mostly by the senior men and women from the Ninuku Art Centre.They are the traditional owners of the land and they hold the stories of the country deep within their hearts.”

Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) “Aboriginal Art is my art.These paintings in this exhibition, in particular, are my art.These paintings come from my land and my soil.They are the art of my people.” - Lois O’Donoghue CBE, AM, Australian of the Year, Opening Speech, Dot and Circle Exhibition, 1985

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Although this insightful sentiment was expressed by a renowned Indigenous leader some 27 years ago, it still resonates clearly today. Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) is a celebration of place, home and country of birth. It symbolises the deep roots that connect Indigenous Australians with their homeland – in this instance, the artists from two remote communities, Pipalyatjara and Kalka, in the South Australian Desert. For Ninuku Arts, whose artists are still considered to be ‘emerging’, this first independent international group exhibition of the artists’ work breaks new ground.

Although having only been in existence for less than a decade, Ninuku Arts is an important part of the celebrated area known as the APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) Lands. Recognised as one of the most dynamic artistic regions in Australia, the APY Lands have been propelled onto the national stage over recent years.

Ninuku Arts is an Indigenous-owned organisation based in the tiny community of Kalka, in an area where the majority of the artists speak Pitjantjatjara. Kalka is a place of colour and beauty – rocky mountain ranges, cavernous ravines, desert flowers, red earth and narrow trees, with flourishing foliage covering much of the ground. It is not surprising that a lot of the artwork from this area uses a vibrant palette, rich in colour. But this art is also steeped in history and tradition, each artist depicting their Tjukurpa (Dreaming or Story), which derives from their land or place of birth.

The art centre itself is named after the ‘Ninuku Tjukurpa’, or Bilby Dreaming, which is associated with the site on which the centre is situated. As Founding Director and artist Yaritji Connelly explains: ‘Ninunya mulapa minyma Tjukuritja, palupalanguru kurunpa mukuringanyi pulkara.’ (Our spirits have a deep attachment to the bilby. The bilby woman is our true creation ancestor and this means we have a need for her in our spirit and soul.)

The work of senior artist Jimmy Donegan reveals the strong inspiration he derives from the colours that are so intrinsic to the area. Known colloquially around the art centre as Mr D, Donegan uses a plethora of colours to depict his Tjukurpa – most often Papa Tjukurpa (Dog Dreaming) or Pukara (Water Snake Dreaming). His preferred method is to use a thin stick that he has picked up from the ground or plucked from a tree to produce a repetition of dotted lines that flow across the canvas. Then, using a brush, he often forms pools of colour that sit within the densely dotted areas.

Since winning the prestigious Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Telstra Art Award in 2010, Donegan has become one of the most celebrated artists in the APY Lands, his works eagerly sought by Australian and international collectors, galleries and institutions.

As Australian arts writer Nicolas Rothwell reported at the time, ‘Like much of Donegan’s

work over the past decade, the award winning painting is solemn and emphatic in its design, but dazzlingly illuminated. The artist’s technique is to compose the colour lines of his canvases from thousands of large dots in different hues, which blend into a whole.’

(The Weekend Australian, August 2010).

Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) boasts an exciting group of master works painted predominantly by the senior men and women of the Ninuku Arts Centre. They are the traditional owners of the land and they hold the stories of the country deep within their hearts. As the name ‘Our Place’ suggests, this exhibition is a statement about ownership and history, but it is also a joyous celebration of the artists’ country. This collection of sublime and intriguing paintings acts as an invitation to the viewer – an invitation from these old men and women to experience their land as it is revealed through their work.

As well as teaching an international audience about the artists’ culture, this exhibition has been put together with the aim of teaching the emerging artists from the district.

It is critical to the continuation of this great Indigenous culture that future generations continue to learn about it. As senior man and ngangkari (traditional healer) Harry Tjutjuna describes, ‘Old generation are here now and I am old generation too. Lots of old generations have passed away. What can we do? What happens when I pass away? New generation got to learn Tjukurpa (Dreaming Stories).’

Harry Tjutjuna is the most senior of the artists exhibiting; in fact, he is one of the few remaining artists of his generation. His unique style and approach has made him one of the most sought-after practising artists in the country. He paints a range of stories with powerful authority and unwavering courage. He is known for the drippy, painterly qualities of his brushstrokes, and is a natural colourist, often choosing a palette of vibrant poppy hues. Harry paints a range of stories including Kungka Tjuta, which depicts a group of young girls doing milpatjunanyi, the traditional way of telling stories in the sand; Wati Wanka (or Spider Man), the spirit ancestor whom Harry describes himself as being; and Wati Nyiru, an ancient character who chases seven sisters around looking for a wife.

Sandy Brumby is another artist at the art centre who uses a brush, rather than a dotting stick, to create his paintings. Sandy is relatively new to painting however he is already considered an artist to watch. His approach to composition is bold yet whimsical robust, circular shapes construct the artwork, while trails of dots dance along the edges of the shapes. As an artist, Sandy emits courage and intuition, he is uninhibited by his surroundings and what other artists are doing. This gives his work a “stand alone” quality that resonates with raw and independent power. His loose and fluid brushwork is in striking contrast to other male artists with a more formal approach to their work.

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One such artist is Stanley Young. He is a celebrated traditional dancer. He dances the Kalaya Dance – the dance of the Emu. Not surprisingly he also sometimes depicts this Tjukurpa in his paintings. Unlike Harry Tjutjuna, Mr Young lays down the multitude of colours he uses with precision and a steady hand, creating a composition of structure and minimalism. His canvases can take months to produce and the result is a proud and austere painting that commands the attention of the viewer.

The women featured in the show definitely lean towards a more feminine palette. Last year founding directors of the art centre Yaritji Connelly and Molly Nampitjin Miller attended an exhibition at ReDot Fine Art Gallery that jointly showcased works from two art centres – Ninuku Arts and Tjungu Palya from the APY Lands. Both directors are again featured in this show. They have played, and continue to play, a pivotal role in the development, growth and success of the art centre, and are equally as strong and committed to their art making as they are to their role as directors.

Yaritji Connelly has a unique approach to painting. She mostly paints a story called Malara.

It features a water snake which she depicts by painting sweeping curves to create a coil, which she then connects with loose, fluent dotting. She creates delicate colour shifts through her subtle tinting of the paints she uses, sometimes dipping into two paint pots before laying down the dots. Molly Nampitjin Miller uses a similar approach, as evidenced by the beautiful modulations in colour in the work she has painted for this show, which is featured on the cover of this catalogue.

One of the most revered female artists at Ninuku Arts is Monica Puntjina Watson. Her works have a stand-alone quality, their jewel-like power commanding the attention of the audience. Monica has a quirky approach to composition, creating a border or frame for each of her paintings using heavily dotted lines of bright colour. Her work is always a celebration of colour and harmony – presenting a perfect mirror to nature and resonating with her spirit and vibrant personality. The central area of her paintings often features landmarks – a rockhole, for example – from the country she paints known as Pukara. Monica paints tirelessly every day, spending many, many hours on her canvases.

They are so intensely and carefully dotted that large-scale works will often take her several months to create.

In style and composition, the work of Tjulkiwa Atira Atira contrasts strikingly with that of the other female artists in this exhibition. Tjulkiwa has found her stride relatively recently; she paints a series of bold lines (often in black and white) down the canvas and

then works over them with varying-sized dots. She paints a nearby site known as Arulya, where she was born. For many years Tjulkiwa lived at Ernabella – a community of artists known for their decorative approach – and this is evident here in the way she depicts the land formations, applying a carefully mixed range of colours, each one only subtly different from the next. The highly optical and contemporary result she achieves is quite arresting among the other desert works.

This exhibition is accompanied by a series of landscape photographs sensitively married to the paintings to give an impression of the land and the soil from which the paintings come. It showcases an exceptional and masterful collection of works – many of them large in scale – that gives the audience a powerful insight into their place, their country and their story. Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) is a true celebration of the contribution these men and women have made to culture and to art.

Claire Eltringham Art Centre Manager

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Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Nyiru munu Wati Wanka 183cm x 244cm Acrylic on Belgian Linen NKHT11081

Dreamtime This is Wati Nyiru, a man named ’Nyiru’, who is watching the seven sisters up on the hill near Wyalla, other side of Port Augusta. He watches them go into the cave, he blocks the cave but the ladies go trhough the cave and out the other side. Wati Nyiru sleeps and comes back to find that they have gone. He travels to Broken Hill and comes back to Nyipurana looking for them. He then sits down and sees the smoke from that ’kungka mob’, group of girls.

This story travels all across Australia and Harry identifies strongly with this man.

“This is a big spider man. Wati paluru Ngankari (A male healer, traditional doctor). He is a powerful man. When rain comes he hides in his nest. He is a clever man. At night time he changes colour. His name is Wanka, spider. That’s the story. Minyma wanka tjuta, these are all the women and children for this man (around him). I am the spider man, ngankari (healer, traditional doctor).”

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Harry TJUTJUNA

Wanka: Spider munu Wati Nyiru Acrylic on Belgian Linen 167cm x 183cm NKHT11532

Dreamtime This is Wati Nyiru, a man named ’Nyiru’, who is watching the seven sisters up on the hill near Wyalla, other side of Port Augusta. He watches them go into the cave, he blocks the cave but the ladies go trhough the cave and out the other side. Wati Nyiru sleeps and comes back to find that they have gone. He travels to Broken Hill and comes back to Nyipurana looking for them. He then sits down and sees the smoke from that ’kungka mob’, group of girls.

This story travels all across Australia and Harry identifies strongly with this man. “This is a big spider man. Wati paluru Ngankari (A male healer, traditional doctor). He is a powerful man. When rain comes he hides in his nest. He is a clever man. At night time he changes colour. His name is Wanka, spider. That’s the story. Minyma wanka tjuta, these are all the women and children for this man (around him).

I am the spider man, ngankari (healer, traditional doctor).

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Harry TJUTJUNA

Wanka: Spider 150cm x 180cm Acrylic on Belgian Linen NKHT10329

Dreamtime “This is a big spider man. Wati paluru Ngankari (A male healer, traditional doctor). He is a powerful man. When rain comes he hides in his nest. He is a clever man. At night time he changes colour. His name is Wanka, spider. That’s the story. Minyma wanka tjuta, these are all the women and children for this man (around him). I am the spider man, ngankari (healer, traditional doctor).”

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Harry TJUTJUNA

Kungka Tjuta Acrylic on Belgian Linen 168cm x 153cm NKHT11488

Dreamtime These are lots of young girls doing milpatjunanyi, the traditional way of telling stories in the sand. These circles are their bottoms in the sand. They are all sitting around talking about men. They are talking with their hands, talking about men, maybe they like a man, maybe they want to get married. This story is from near Walytatjara, north of Kalka. There is a big red hill there. It is called “Kungka Malu�.

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Harry TJUTJUNA

Wanka: Spider Acrylic on Belgian Linen 147cm x 120cm NKHT11208

Dreamtime “This is a big spider man. Wati paluru Ngankari (A male healer, traditional doctor). He is a powerful man. When rain comes he hides in his nest. He is a clever man. At night time he changes colour. His name is Wanka, spider. That’s the story. Minyma wanka tjuta, these are all the women and children for this man (around him).

I am the spider man, ngankari (healer, traditional doctor).

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Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Nyiru munu Wati Wanka Acrylic on Belgian Linen 122cm x 122cm NKHT11481

Dreamtime This is Wati Nyiru, a man named ’Nyiru’, who is watching the seven sisters up on the hill near Wyalla, other side of Port Augusta. He watches them go into the cave, he blocks the cave but the ladies go through the cave and out the other side. Wati Nyiru sleeps and comes back to find that they have gone. He travels to Broken Hill and comes back to Nyipurana looking for them. He then sits down and sees the smoke from that ’kungka mob’, group of girls.

This story travels all across Australia and Harry identifies strongly with this man.

“This is a big spider man. Wati paluru Ngankari (A male healer, traditional doctor). He is a powerful man. When rain comes he hides in his nest. He is a clever man. At night time he changes colour. His name is Wanka, spider. That’s the story. Minyma wanka tjuta, these are all the women and children for this man (around him). I am the spider man, ngankari (healer, traditional doctor).

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Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Ngintaka Tjukurpa Acrylic on Belgian Linen 91cm x 91cm NKHT11536

Dreamtime This is Wati Ngintaka Tjurkurpa (perentie lizard man creation story). That Wati Ngintaka heard from a long way the sound of a beautiful grinding stone. He wanted that stone for himself, so he travelled from Arang’nga a long way east towards on to Wayatina. He saw Anangu tjuta (lots of Aboriginal people) at the camp. There some people gave him mai, a seed cake, but it was dry and he didn’t like it. Then one lady gave him food and it was delicious and he knew that the seeds were ground on the grinding stone he had heard. He spied the grinding stone and stole it, hiding it in under his tail.

When they all went hunting the next day he stayed in camp saying he had sore feet. Once they were gone he started travelling back with the grinding stone. All the people were angry with the Wati Ngintaka and chased him.

When they caught him they felt all over for the grinding stone, but couldn’t find it. That Wati Ngintaka held up his arms and claimed he didn’t have it, but was hiding it, wipungka (in his tail). They cut the Wati Ngintaka up into pieces. That place where he finished is Aran’nga in the NT. Ngaltutjara (poor thing).

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Jimmy DONEGAN

Papa Tjukurpa Acrylic on Belgian Linen 168cm x 153cm NKJD11489

Dreamtime Papa Tjukurpa; Dingo Dreaming. “Ngayuku mamaku ngura Dulu”, my father’s country rockhole called Dulu. At this place there are lots of women and men dingo’s living there, digging up the water and hunting at Pilantjara rockhole in the country area of Dulu. This is papa walka, dog design.

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Jimmy DONEGAN

Papa Tjukurpa Acrylic on Belgian Linen 168cm x 153cm NKJD11149

Dreamtime Papa Tjukurpa; Dingo Dreaming. “Ngayuku mamaku ngura Dulu”, my father’s country rockhole called Dulu. At this place there are lots of women and men dingo’s living there, digging up the water and hunting at Pilantjara rockhole in the country area of Dulu. This is papa walka, dog design.

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Jimmy DONEGAN

Papa Tjukurpa Acrylic on Belgian Linen 107cm x 91cm NKJD11181

Dreamtime Papa Tjukurpa; Dingo Dreaming. “Ngayuku mamaku ngura Dulu”, my father’s country rockhole called Dulu. At this place there are lots of women and men dingo’s living there, digging up the water and hunting at Pilantjara rockhole in the country area of Dulu. This is papa walka, dog design.

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Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Belgian Linen 183cm x 153cm NKSB11485

Dreamtime This painting is of a story about my father’s country Victory Downs, near Amata community. Lots of women were at this site collecting Kampurapa (bush tomatoes). A man came along and asked the women for the mai (food) but the women didn’t give any to him. So the man had no mai. After that the man left and the women fed all the mai to the tjitji (children) and the children were full-up.

The man came back again and the group went together to Pangkupiri which is near Tjukula and close to Mr. Brumby’s mother’s country.

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Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Belgian Linen 122cm x 122cm NKSB11484

Dreamtime This painting is of a story about my father’s country Victory Downs, near Amata community. Lots of women were at this site collecting Kampurapa (bush tomatoes). A man came along and asked the women for the mai (food) but the women didn’t give any to him. So the man had no mai. After that the man left and the women fed all the mai to the tjitji (children) and the children were full-up.

The man came back again and the group went together to Pangkupiri which is near Tjukula and close to Mr. Brumby’s mother’s country.

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Sandy BRUMBY

Kulitja Acrylic on Belgian Linen 122cm x 107cm NKSB11482

Dreamtime This story is about a place called Kulitja, this side of Victory Downs in the northern Territory. There is a wati wanampi (male water snake) looking around for kuka (meat) and mai (food). Palarru (he) is sitting down in his home. Wati (man) eats the food and then goes into a hole.

It is still there now, at that place. Today, there is lots of Wayanu (Quandong) there.

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Sandy BRUMBY

Wapilka Acrylic on Belgian Linen 91cm x 91cm NKSB11535

Dreamtime This painting is of a story about my father’s country Victory Downs, near Amata community. Lots of women were at this site collecting Kampurapa (bush tomatoes). A man came along and asked the women for the mai (food) but the women didn’t give any to him. So the man had no mai. After that the man left and the women fed all the mai to the tjitji (children) and the children were full-up.

The man came back again and the group went together to Pangkupiri which is near Tjukula and close to Mr. Brumby’s mother’s country.

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Nyayati STANLEY YOUNG

Mamungari Acrylic on Belgian Linen 183cm x 183cm NKSY11145

Dreamtime This is the story of Minyma Tjuta, lot’s of women spirits.

Kalpama, Alkuwari’s husband, could not walk and he lived in a nest in a tree. His grandson came one day and looked up from under the tree and saw rain coming down, it was Kalpama weeing. The grandson got a fire stick and burnt the tree, all of it up in flames, including the grandfather Kalpama.

Alkuwari was hunting for kuka (meat) and she saw the smoke from a long way away and she knew that her grandson had burnt down the tree. She travels to a place south west of Watarru called Mamungari. She is crying and crying and calls out to her minyma (women) relatives for them to come and see what this grandson had done. They travel the long way back to where the man/boy was. He had made a long ladder which he used to climb a tall tree.

When all the women try to climb the tree he cuts the end of the ladder and the women all fall down to the ground, dead.

“Mulapa”, this is a true story.

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Nyayati STANLEY YOUNG

Kalaya Tjukurpa (Emu Dreaming) Acrylic on Belgian Linen 183cm x 168cm NKSY11540

Dreamtime This is the story of Kalaya Tjukurpa, Emu Dreaming travelling from Anoll to Ti Pi otherside (south) of Watarru close to Ngura ngri. This country is South of Kalka in South Australia.

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Samuel MILLER

Ngayuku Ngura Acrylic on Belgian Linen 153cm x 183cm NKSM11538

Dreamtime Samuel Miller paints traditional iconography of his land, east of Kalka. Rockholes, creeks and hills feature in his paintings, all immersed in Tjukurpa (Dreaming stories).

His land is a sacred men’s rockhole and the name is not allowed to be written down. His colour pallette is drawn from the varying colours in the landscape surrounding Kalka and used in a rainbow like patterning in his work.

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Samuel MILLER

Ngayuku Ngura Acrylic on Belgian Linen 107cm x 91cm NKSM11539

Dreamtime Samuel Miller paints traditional iconography of his land, east of Kalka. Rockholes, creeks and hills feature in his paintings, all immersed in Tjukurpa (Dreaming stories). His land is a sacred men’s rockhole and the name is not allowed to be written down. His colour pallette is drawn from the varying colours in the landscape surrounding Kalka and used in a rainbow like patterning in his work.

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Yaritji CONNELLY

Malara Acrylic on Belgian Linen 168cm x 153cm NKYC11400

Dreamtime “Ngayuku Ngura, my country”. Tjukula wati wanampi wipumutunja (One rockhole, watersnake man with a short tail). ’ Wal Mala wati wanampi’, All the watersnake men from around Malara are hunting for kuka (meat) and bringing it to Malara (that rockhole). The women are gathering bush tucker ili (Bush Fig) “Ankuntja wiya”, staying one place. The Wal Mala wati wanampi travel to Kuntjanu (a water soak) to kill the wati wanampi Kuntjanu (the snake man Kuntjanu). After that they go back to stay at Malara, and then the wati wanampi return to their own rockholes, one at Mutitjulu and other ones from around there.

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Yaritji CONNELLY

Malara Acrylic on Belgian Linen 122cm x 122cm NKYC11486

Dreamtime “Ngayuku Ngura, my country”. Tjukula wati wanampi wipumutunja (One rockhole, watersnake man with a short tail). ’ Wal Mala wati wanampi’, All the watersnake men from around Malara are hunting for kuka (meat) and bringing it to Malara (that rockhole). “Ankuntja wiya”, staying one place. The Wal Mala wati wanampi travel to Kuntjanu (a water soak) to kill the wati wanampi Kuntjanu (the snake man Kuntjanu). After that they go back to stay at Malara, and then the wati wanampi return to their own rockholes, one at Mutitjulu and other ones from around there.

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Puntjina Monica WATSON

Pukara Acrylic on Belgian Linen 183cm x 153cm NKMW11487

Dreamtime This is a story about Kaliny-Kaliny(pa) (the honey grevillea). Wati Kutjara Wanampi (two male watersnakes), father and son, are living at Pukara, a waterhole in Western Australia south west of Irrunytju. Anangu tjuta, lot’s of people, come to the rockhole for the sweet water and the father wanampi says “go back to your own country”.

The people leave and the father and son travel to Willuna where they camp for weeks.

They return to Pukara and are sleeping when they hear a buzzing sound. Minyma Punpunpa the lady flies are making lots of noise as they buzz around the honey bush. Wati wanampi father and son get up and go to collect honey.

It is there that the Wati Mututja (black ant) finds them and spears the Wati Wanampi son in the side. The young son starts vomiting, and he vomits up all different types of honey grevillea in yellows and orange. There is KalinyKaliny(pa), Ultunkun(pa), Piruwa and Witjinti.

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Molly NAMPITJIN MILLER

Mamungari Acrylic on Belgian Linen 91cm x 91cm NKMM11537

Dreamtime This is the story of Minyma Tjuta, lot’s of women spirits.

Kalpama, Alkuwari’s husband, could not walk and he lived in a nest in a tree. His grandson came one day and looked up from under the tree and saw rain coming down, it was Kalpama weeing. The grandson got a fire stick and burnt the tree, all of it up in flames, including the grandfather Kalpama.

Alkuwari was hunting for kuka (meat) and she saw the smoke from a long way away and she knew that her grandson had burnt down the tree. She travels to a place south west of Watarru called Mamungari. She is crying and crying and calls out to her minyma (women) relatives for them to come and see what this grandson had done. They travel the long way back to where the man/boy was. He had made a long ladder which he used to climb a tall tree.

When all the women try to climb the tree he cuts the end of the ladder and the women all fall down to the ground, dead.

“Mulapa”, this is a true story.

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Tjulkiwa ATIRA ATIRA

Arulya Acrylic on Belgian Linen 183cm x 168cm NKTA11505

Dreamtime This place is called Arulya. There is a cave there called Kuruyiti where all the children hide because there is a big rain coming. Their big brother is outside eating and sleeping and will not come inside. Big hail stones come down and they kill that big brother so he remains outside.

This is a creation dreamtime story, you can see it in the landscape there.

Wati Tjakura, an edible skink lizard, is another creation story that took place at Arulya. The Wal Mala, army, of Wati Wanambi from Malara came and threw spears at Wati Tjakura. He tried to escape but they killed him. His family came down to bury him.

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Harry TJUTJUNA Language Country Born

: Pitjantjatjara : Pipalyatjara : 1930

Harry Tjutjuna was born circa 1930 at Walytjatjara, north east of Pipalyatjara, near the tri-state border of South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia. He is a Pitjantjatjara speaking Ngankari (traditional healer) and senior law man. As a young man he moved to Ernabella Mission where he was educated and went on to work on the settlement. His jobs included working on bore sinking, fencing, gardening, and tending to the sheep. The mission’s purpose (since its foundation in 1937) was primarily to provide the medical services and education for the local Anangu (Aboriginal people).

Later Harry moved back to the far north-west with his family, living mostly in and around Wingellina, WA, and Pipalyatjara on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, SA. Harry first started painting in 2005 at Ernabella Arts Centre before moving to Pipalyatjara in 2008 where he now paints at Ninuku Arts. Harry has a few favourite dreamtime stories including Wati Wanka: Spider man; Wati Nyiru, the man who chases the seven sisters; Wati Malu and the Kungka Mingakri’s, the kangaroo man and the female mice. He also paints Kungka Tjuta, young girls doing milpatjunanyi, the traditional way of telling stories in the sand. His whimsical themes, combined with a masterful use of brush, has quickly positioned Harry as one of the most highly sought-after artists at Ninuku Arts.

“Old generation are here now and i am old generation too. Lot’s of old generation have passed away. What are you going to do? What happens when I pass away?... New generation got to learn Tjukurpa.’ - Harry Tjutjuna Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales Charles Darwin University Collection The Lagerberg-Swift Collection Marshall Collection National Gallery of Victoria Merenda Collection National Gallery of Australia Araluen Arts Centre Art Gallery of South Australia The Lepley Collection AAMU Museum Utrecht Parliament House Collection Canberra Art Gallery of New South Wales Awards Telstra Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory Telstra Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin Telstra Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin Telstra Awrds, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin Telstra Awards, Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory Telstra Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin Western Australia Indigenous Art Awards, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth Togart Contemporary Art Award, Darwin Telstra Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin

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Jimmy DONEGAN Language Country Born

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: Ngaanyatjarra and Pitjantjatjara : Kalka, South Australia : 1940

Jimmy was born at Yanpan, a rockhole near Ngatuntjarra Bore circa 1940. He grew up as a bush baby in country around Blackstone and Mantamaru (Jamieson) in Western Australia.

Jimmy has family links throughout the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands and his wife was from a place near Kalka. Jimmy took his wife and children to live at Blackstone because of his tie to that country. He is now widowed and has returned to Kalka Community to live with his children, and close to his sister Molly Nampitjin Miller.

Jimmy is a wonderful wood craftsman - his spears, spear throwers and boomerangs are prized and much sort-after. He is rich in story and a strong man for law and culture.

In August 2010, Jimmy Donegan won the most prestigious art prize in Australia - The Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award. He was the winner of two sections the General Painting Category and the Overall Prize.

“Like much of Donegan’s work over the past decade, the award winning painting is solemn and emphatic in its design, but dazzlingly illuminated. The artists technique it to compose the colour lines of his canvases from thousands of large dots in different hues, which blend into a whole” - Nicolas Rothwell, The Weekend Australian, August 2010 Collections Swift Lagerberg Collection Thomas Vroom Collection, The Netherlands Peter Klein Collection, Germany The University of Western Sydney Merenda Collection The Marshall Collection The Corrigan Collection Laverty Collection National Gallery of Victoria Art Bank Collection Awards Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award - Overall Prize, August, MAGNT, Darwin Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award - General Painting Prize, August, MAGNT, Darwin

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Sandy BRUMBY Language Country

: Yankunytjatjara : Pipalyatjara

Sandy Brumby was born in the bush at Victory Downs, an outstation near Pukatja (Ernabella). He grew up there with his mother Doll Brumby, his father and his brother and sister, Harry Brumby and Maggie Brumby. He worked as a young fella at Mount Cavanagh, a cattle station near Kulgera in the Northern Territory. He was a stockman there - mustering bullocks, fencing, tending to the cattle. He met his wife, Tjukapati Nola Brumby in Pukatja (Ernabella), then they moved to Amata, and finally settled in Pipalyatjara, where they had two children - one boy and one girl.

He’s been here for a long time, since before Kalka and Pipalyatjara communities existed.

In 2010, in his sixties, Sandy Brumby picked up a paint brush for the first time. He has come to the Art Centre religiously ever since, discovering a passion for paint and need to tell his story. The marks he uses are reminiscent of symbols seen in rock paintings around Uluru and Kata Tjuta. His paintings are raw and bold, and demonstrate a strong connection to his country and culture. He has a deep love of colour and uses a broad palette when he paints, selecting the colours that sit side by side with natural intuition.

Collections National Gallery of Victoria Queensland Art Gallery Artbank Collection Sir James and Lady Cruthers Collection

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Nyayati STANLEY YOUNG Language Country Born

: Pitjantjatjara : Kalka, South Australia : 1949

Nyayati Stanley Young was born west of Irrunytju at a secret sacred rockhole site, in around1949. He grew up in the bush and travelled with his family around the areas of Irrunytju and Pipalyatjara. As a young boy he went to school at Ernabella Mission but returned to Pipalyatjara as a man where he taught white fella’s Pitjantjatjara. This was a long time ago, when Anangu (People in Pitjantjatjara) were living in Wiltja’s (traditonal shelter’s), though Stanley lived in a house. Nyayati has had many jobs including geologist for mining companies, rubbish truck driver and cattleman, working on the Amata station and Mulga Park station. He tells of one story when he rode from Alice Springs to Kalka bareback in a race with a friend. He now lives in Kalka Community and is a senior lawman, respected elder and celebrated dancer.

Collections The Art Gallery of South Australia Artbank Collection Art Gallery of New South Wales

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Samuel MILLER Language Country Born

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: Pitjantjatjara : Kalka, South Australia : 1966

Samuel was born at Ernabella mission to Helen Miller the first wife of Mr Miller (Ninuku artist Nampitjin Molly Miller is the second wife). He grew up in Amata and Pipalyatjara, and now lives in Kalka, with his second mother Molly, and her family.

He is a committed member of Ninuku Arts, usually painting everyday. Samuel’s paintings depict the traditional iconography of his land that lies to the east of Pipalyatjara.

Rockholes, creeks and hills feature in his paintings, all immersed in Tjukurpa (Dreaming stories). Samuel’s paintings are mesmerising with their minimalist composition and extensive use of radiating colours, mostly drawn from the varying colours in the landscape surrounding his country.

Collections Artbank Collection Art Gallery of South Australia

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Yaritji CONNELLY Language Country Born

: Pitjantjatjara : Kalka, South Australia : 1946

Yaritji was born in the bush at Malara Rockhole, the place of Wanambe (Water Snake) Tjurkurpa, in the 1940’s. Her father’s country is Inarki and her mother’s place is Anumarapiti. As a young girl she walked to Warburton mission in Western Australia where she spent some time at school. Her father got homesick for Pipalyatjara and her family moved back home.

Yaritji is now a proud member of Kalka community in South Australia, where she lives with her family. She is one of the founding Director’s of Ninuku Arts Centre and has been instrumental in the success and strong governance of the centre.Yaritji is also a highlyrespected Cultural woman and an active member of ceremony.

Collections The Lagerberg-Swift Collection The Marshall Collection The Queensland Art Gallery Brisbane Art Bank Collection Parliament House Collection Canberra Peter.W.Klein Collection Germany Flinders University Collection

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Puntjina Monica WATSON Language Country

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: Pitjantjatjara : Pipalyatjara, South Australia

Puntjina, also known as Monica, was born circa 1940 at Pukara: an important rockhole and watersnake Dreaming site. She walked to Ernabella as a young girl with her father and his three wives - the youngest of them was Wingu Tingima. She lived there and worked in the craft room. Marrying Wimitja Watson - a Ngankari (traditional healer) - they then moved to Amata where they had lots of children. The family moved to Pipalyatjara in the homeland movement of the late 1970’s to be closer to their country.

Mrs Watson is an important elder in Pipalyatjara where she continues to live with her husband and family.

Monica has become known for her use of a vibrant palette in her paintings, particularly an iconic, high-key yellow. She also has an unusual approach to composition. Monica is a committed artist, painting everyday at Ninuku Art Centre, and has cemented herself as one of the Centre’s leading artists.

Collections Artbank Collection Art Gallery of South Australia Art Gallery of New South Wales Parliament House Collection, Canberra National Gallery of Australia Sir James and Lady Cruthers Collection

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Molly NAMPITJIN MILLER Language Country Born

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: Pitjantjatjara : Kalka, South Australia : 1948

Molly (Nampitjin) Miller was born in the bush in 1948, “a bush baby�. She went to Warburton mission for her schooling and lived in a dormitory with all the other girls.

Her family stayed in the camp at the mission. She married and her husband took her to Amata where she had her five children. Mrs Miller is a strong and founding figure for Ninuku Arts and respected elder within Kalka Community. She comes from a strong artistic family, her brother and sisters are Dr Pantjiti Mary McClean, Jimmy Donegan (Telstra Award Winner 2010) and Elaine Lane from Blackstone.

Collections Peter Gould Collection, Germany Art Bank Collection Flinders University Art Museum The Merenda Collection

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Tjulkiwa ATIRA ATIRA Language Country Born

: Pitjantjatjara : Pipalyatjara : 1951

Tjulkiwa was born in 1951 at Watarru, South Australia. Her mother is the late Kuntjiriya Mick. Her father’s country is Kuntjanu (SA) and her mother is from Walytjatjara (NT).

Tjulkiwa went to school in Ernabella during the mission times. She met her husband there and had two children. Growing up she also spent time in Fregon and Itjinpiri homeland, near Umuwa. That was her husband’s ngura (place). Her and her husband had 6 children in total. She now lives at Pipalyatjara with some of her family.

Tjulkiwa is an astute and respected member of the Pipalyatjara community. She is a fluent in English and Pitjantjatjara and this serves as a handy tool for translating in the art centre. She has always worked in arts and crafts, first in Ernabella, then Fregon and now at Ninuku Arts where she paints daily. Her Ernabella connection is evident in her work - Tjulkiwa is a natural colourist and her work is reminiscent of the beautiful decorative style that Ernabella is renowned for. She paints her grandfather’s country called Arulya.

Collections Art Gallery of South Australia Peter Klein Collection, Germany

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