WATER, WATER, LOVE
ARTITJA FINE ART PROUDLY PRESENTS AN ONLINE EXHIBITION FEATURING A SELECTION OF PAINTINGS BY ARTISTS FROM THE PAPUNYA TJUPI ART CENTRE IN THE WESTERN DESERT
23 APRIL – 21 MAY 2018
0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Papunya Tjupi Arts is a 100% Aboriginal owned and directed community arts organisation based in Papunya, 250km NW of Alice Springs, the birthplace of the Western Desert dot-painting movement. In the local Luritja language, Tjupi means honey ant and Papunya is known as Warumpi which is a major honey ant dreaming site. The art centre supports a new generation of artists establishing their own unique identity based on the legacy of their forefathers. The art centre services around 100 artists from Papunya and surrounding outstations. They have become known for their strong line-work and for developing new ways to tell the old stories. Water is a major theme in the paintings of the Papunya Tjupi artists, and very significant in Aboriginal culture, both as a life giving source and spiritually, and features in almost all Tjukurrpa (stories) in these paintings. The title WATER, WATER, LOVE – is a reference to this collections focus on water, and the inclusion of a beautiful ‘love’ story by Doris Bush Nungarrayi. (Map courtesy of National Museum of Australia)
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artitja Fine Art proudly presents this exhibition in association with the Papunya Tjupi Art Centre.
All paintings are for sale, price catalogues are available upon request.
Enquiries to Anna Kanaris 0418 900 954 or by email at info@artitja.com.au
ARTITJA FINE ART is a by appointment gallery based in South Fremantle. Paintings featured here are available for viewing by appointment – we are open seven days a week – appointments are essential.
Images: Front cover and above: Road to Papunya © Anna Kanaris 2004
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artist: Candy Nelson Nakamarra Title: Kalipinypa Size: 152x91cm Cat: ART74917WC Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KALIPINYPA The painting depicts designs associated with Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa a site northwest of Sandy Blight Junction, Western Australia. The tjukurrpa tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony to invoke the elements. It is a powerful storm bringing on the lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending its deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling rock holes, clay pans and creeks. It has the power to create new life and growth upon the land. The different elements of the image represent puuli (hills), tali (sandhills) and kapi (water). Plants and leaves spring up after the heavy rain, nourishing the land and the people. The concentric circles represent waterholes, while the arrow shapes represent the footprints of the white heron that frequents the site.
Š Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artist: Patricia Phillipus Napurrula Title: Kapi Tjukurrpa Size: 152x91cm Cat: ART3018PPN Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KAPI TJUKURRPA The painting depicts a Water Dreaming story at Kalipinypa, north east of Kintore close to the WA/NT border. The painting tells the story of a rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rockholes, claypans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Napurrula and Tjupurrula men and women are the custodians of this important Water Dreaming story. Patricia talks about the painting showing when the lightning sparkles. The different shapes depict wiinpa (lighting) and kunata (hailstones). If present, the central circle represents tjukula (a rockhole).
Š Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artist: Patricia Phillipus Napurrula Title: Kapi Tjukurrpa Size: 152x122cm Cat: ART10018PPN Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KAPI TJUKURRPA The painting depicts a Water Dreaming story at Kalipinypa, north east of Kintore close to the WA/NT border. The painting tells the story of a rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rockholes, claypans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Napurrula and Tjupurrula men and women are the custodians of this important Water Dreaming story. Patricia talks about the painting showing when the lightning sparkles. The different shapes depict wiinpa (lighting) and kunata (hailstones). If present, the central circle represents tjukula (a rockhole).
Š Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artist: Puuni Brown Nungarrayi Title: Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) Size: 91x76cm Cat: ART71817PBN Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KAPI TJUKURRPA (Water Dreaming) This painting tells a Kapi Tjukurrpa (water dreaming) story of Wantupunyu - Punni’s grandfather’s country and the site is to the north of Papunya (NT) and west of the sacred mountain Karinyarra. Punni learnt to paint this story from her Mother’s paintings, Isobel Gorey Nambajimba who is a prolific painter and a director at Papunya Tjupi. Water dreaming sites are important for the regeneration of nature. The water makes the country green and brings a lot of ‘bush tucker’ – foods for the people and the animals. The heavy rain usually comes in the summer time. When the lightning can be seen at a distance, the elders will start singing to the lightning, encouraging it to bring more rain to replenish the land. In her paintings, Isobel depicts clouds, rain drops, lightning, rainbows, puddles and bush flowers. In this painting the central shapes are important water or rockhole site. The lines represent the elements of a storm – wind, rain, thunderclouds and lightning. The patterns represent rain and water flowing from the waterholes and flooding the usually dry creek beds.
© Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artist: Puuni Brown Nungarrayi Title: Kapi Tjukurrpa Size: 122x71cm Cat: ART6118PBN Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KAPI TJUKURRPA This painting tells a Kapi Tjukurrpa (water dreaming) story of Wantupunyu - Punni’s grandfather’s country and the site is to the north of Papunya (NT) and west of the sacred mountain Karinyarra. Punni learnt to paint this story from her Mother’s paintings, Isobel Gorey Nambajimba who is a prolific painter and a director at Papunya Tjupi. Water dreaming sites are important for the regeneration of nature. The water makes the country green and brings a lot of ‘bush tucker’ – foods for the people and the animals. The heavy rain usually comes in the summer time. When the lightning can be seen at a distance, the elders will start singing to the lightning, encouraging it to bring more rain to replenish the land. In her paintings, Isobel depicts clouds, rain drops, lightning, rainbows, puddles and bush flowers. In this painting the central shapes are important water or rockhole site. The lines represent the elements of a storm – wind, rain, thunderclouds and lightning. The patterns represent rain and water flowing from the waterholes and flooding the usually dry creek beds.
© Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artist: Glenda Poulson Title: Kapi Tjukurrpa Size: 91x51cmcm Cat: ART3218GP Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KAPI TJUKURRPA The tjukurrpa tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony to invoke the elements. It is a powerful storm bringing on the lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending its deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling rock holes, clay pans and creeks. It has the power to create new life and growth upon the land. In this painting Glenda has used the larger shapes to depict tali (sand hills) at the site of Kalipinypa. She has also used dots to represent Akatjurra (bush tomato) that have come to life after the rain.
Š Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artist: Emily Andy Napaltjarri Title: Janmarda Size: 122x71cm Cat: ART10218EAN Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
JANMARDA In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive north west of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of the year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.
Š Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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Artist: Tilau Nangala Title: Mikantji Size: 122x46cm Cat: ART49617TN Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
MIKANTJI This story relates to a place called Mikantji, an important Water Dreaming site, west of Yuendumu whose custodians are the Nangala and Nampitjimpa women and their brothers, the Tjangala and Tjampitjimpa men. The painting tells how the women perform ceremonies or inma celebrating the creation of the Mikantji site by the storm ancestors. If present, the U shapes are women, circles are waterholes, long sinuous lines are creeks and short curved lines are puuli or hills.
Š The artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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Artist: Watson Corby Title: Kalipinypa Tjukurrpa Size: 122x91cm Cat: ART67916WC Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KALIPINYPA TJUKURRPA The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Napurrula and Tjupurrula men and women are the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site and celebrate its stories in the ceremonies. Watson says that the lines represent the water travelling into the waterholes and the circular movements represent the rain drops and hail stones brought by the storm.
Š Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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Artist: Maureen Poulson Napangardi Title: Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Kalipinypa Size: 152x91cm Cat: ART103309MPN
Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
KAPI TJUKURRPA (WATER DREAMING) - KALIPINYPA The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Napurrula and Tjupurrula men and women are the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site and celebrate its stories in the ceremonies. The painting depicst Maureen’s Water Dreaming site at Kalipinypa, North east of Kintore close to the NT border.
Š Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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Artist: Doris Bush Nungarrayi Title: Tjurrpinyi Ikuntji Size: 152x122cm Cat: ART1918WC Art Centre: Papunya Tjupi Arts
TJURRPINYI IKUNTJI This is a love story from Doris’ past. Doris talks of the times when she was a young girl in the bush, swimming with her friends at Haasts Bluff. She talks of sand hills where the young people would wander naked looking for water, ‘chasing’ the water until the found a water hole. The young men and women would swim together and make love by the waterhole. Eventually, Doris explains, the young people fall in love and are married.
© Image and information the artist and Papunya Tjupi art centre
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Artitja Fine Art is located in South Fremantle in Western Australia and operates daily by appointment outside of its public exhibition program, details of which can be found on our website. Since 2004 Artitja Fine Art has established itself as one of Perth’s most reputable and accessible Indigenous art galleries known for its innovative business model which includes a quarterly exhibition program in select venues in Fremantle and the metropolitan area and at all times offering an expert and personalised by-appointment service enabling art followers and collectors to view art in a home environment. Specialists in Australian Aboriginal fine art, we • Offer a personal, accessible and informative approach to collectors and newcomers of Aboriginal art • Open a door into the world of Aboriginal art by passing on our expert knowledge • Assist in developing a quality art collection and respect all budget sizes • Offer curatorial service and advice • Are available for presentations to both corporate and private clients • Are open to fundraising opportunities with worthy outcomes
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0418 900 954 | info@artitja.com.au | www.artitja.com.au South Fremantle, WA
Image: Road to Papunya – Š Anna Kanaris 2004
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