

Artists of Tjuntjuntjara
PART ONE
16 August - 16 September 2023
Aboriginal & Pacific Art in association with Spinifex Arts

Project, Tjuntjuntjara, Western Australia





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).




110

Mituna

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



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







“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.


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