APY LANDS LA: Central Desert Painters of Australia

APY LANDS LA Central Desert Painters of Australia Exhibition Reception: May 4, 4–6pm Exhibition: May 4, 2019 – May 30, 2019

Presented in Partnership with

Olsen Gruin and the Australian Consulate are delighted to present APY LANDS LA: Central Desert Painters of Australia, a group exhibition featuring contemporary works by a group of Aboriginal artists from the north west of South Australia. This show comprises painted depictions of the transcendental and its transubstantiation into the material world. These works reflect a new direction in indigenous art that refers to an ancient mythology that is still pertinent and very much a part of contemporary art today.

For the indigenous peoples of Australia, Dreamtime functions as a way to remember the past, understand the present, and interpret the future. “Australian Aboriginal art was the last great movement of the 20th century, that began 60,000 years earlier,” as claimed by Robert Hughes. The artists featured in APY LANDS LA: Central Desert Painters of Australia, strive to communicate this metaphysical and spiritual world-view by illustrating the remarkable stories of Dreamtime. Exhibiting artists include Yaritji Young, Wawiriya Burton, Alec Baker, Mona Mitakiki Shepherd, Tjimpayi Presley, Betty Muffler, Naomi Kantjuriny, Maringka Tunkin, Freda Brady, Sandra Ken, Tjungkara Ken, Sylvia Kanytjupai Ken, Ken Sisters' Collaborative, Tuppy Goodwin, Imitjala Curley, Witjiti George, Michelle Lewis, Mitakiki Men's Collaborative, Taylor Cooper, Matjanka Norris, Manyitjanu Lennon, Yurpiya Lionel and Barbara Moore. Central Desert Painters of Australia will be on view from May 4 – May 30, 2019.

Showcased at the exhibition are works from Tjala Arts, Kaltjiti Arts, Ernabella Arts and Mimili Maku Arts located in far northwest of South Australia on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. As Aboriginal owned and managed corporations, these centres are professional art making studios known for their vibrant use of colour and energetic mark making. Works within these studios have been acquired by many high-profile collectors across Australia and abroad and are held in numerous public institutions including the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of NSW, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Yaritji Young, one of the most prolific solo artists featured in APY LANDS LA: Central Desert Painters of Australia, focuses on the story of Tjala Tjukurpa (Honey Ant Dreaming). She paints the rock holes and landmarks of her country, entwined with icons and traditional marks that relate to inma (dance) and tjukurpa (dreaming). The twisted lines and shapes mimic tunnels and formations made by the Tjala honey ant. Her works beautifully express the energetic life that exists below the red monolith that is the Australian desert. Straying from the traditional aboriginal colour scheme of red, oranges, and yellows, Yaritji instead transports the viewer into a subjective synesthetic interpretation of an already vibrant land and environment.

“When I paint, my mind travels back to when I was a child, watching my ancestors paint these stories on their bodies and on the caves. Everything I have learnt from them I am teaching my grandchildren now. Today, we have new materials and paint in new ways, but the celebration and commitment to our culture always remains the same.” Yaritji Young.

Naomi Kantjuriny, Mona Mitakiki and Tjimpayi Presley and several of the other artists have worked together to depict the Seven Sisters Story. This is a Tjukurpa Story (Creation Story) about the constellations of Pleiades and Orion. The sisters are the constellation of Pleiades and the other star Orion is said to be Nyiru or Nyirunya Nyiru; a lusty and bad man who forever chases the sisters known as the Kunkarunkara women in order to marry the eldest sister. The seven sisters travel again and again from the sky to the earth to escape Nyiru’s unwanted attentions. They turn into their human form to escape from the persistent Nyiru, but he always finds them and they flee back to the sky. As Nyiru is chasing the sisters he tries to catch them by using magic to turn into the most tempting kampurarpra (bush tomatoes) for the sisters to eat and the most beautiful Ili (fig) tree for them to camp under. However, the sisters are too clever for Nyiru and continue to outwit him. Every now and again, though, one of the women falls victim to his ways. Eventually the sisters fly back into the sky to escape Nyiru, reforming the constellation.

Dreamtime can seem somehow to reanimate memories of an ancient time that were never lived. Simultaneously, it can catalyze a futuristic abstraction of reality. Freda Brady’s Seven Sisters, depicts the Tjukurpa Story through traditional dot painting. The dotted orange, yellow, red, and brown lines move freely through the painting; creating a feeling of immense dynamism. The colors and architecture of the piece are reminiscent of the earth, which the sisters travel in order to escape Nyiru. However, the sinuous interconnected dotted lines emote a cosmic intention. Brady therefore, harmoniously combines both the terrestrial and celestial elements of the same story through a division and confluence of subject matter and form. This unique art refers to a timeless understanding of the earth and the stars. Its stories are sometimes a different kind of mythological language that we see repeated

in other spiritual texts even from the Aztecs or the Ancient Greeks. While this work also acts as maps or paths where the land collides with the universe, it contains elements that allude to certain art throughout history. There is a ‘Tache’ in some of the painterly and structural aspects of this work that parallel the spontaneous qualities of Abstract Expressionism, which was essentially a NY art movement from the middle of the last century. The content of this work whilst drawing direct references to landscape and storytelling, can be considered as holding a very pertinent place in 21st century conceptual art.

Yaritji Young (b. c1954) has been painting at Tjala Arts (formerly Minymaku Arts) since late 2000. She is a senior law woman and is committed to fostering law and culture. Yaritji was born in Ernabella, South Australia and now resides at Rocket Bore, a homeland north of Amata in Northern Australia. Her works are drawn from the Tjala (Honey Ant) Dreaming. Yaritji Young is an emerging artist who demonstrates great skill.

Wawiriya Burton (b. 1925) is a senior woman from the Amata community. In her painting, Wawiriya tells the story of her father’s country near Pipalyatjara, west of Amata in South Australia.

Mona Mitakiki Shepherd (b. c1954) started painting with Tjurma Arts and Crafts back in 1998. After a long break she returned to painting at Tjala Arts (formerly Minymaku Arts) in mid 2003. Mona's husband, Michael Mitakiki also painted briefly at the art centre. After the death of her husband in May 2005 Mona changed her surname from Mitakiki to Shepherd for cultural reasons. Pitjantjatjara people are not allowed to see or hear the name of the deceased.

Tjimpayi Presley (b. 1967) is the daughter of Tjampawa Katie Kawiny who is also a painter at Tjala Arts. Tjimpayi is well known for her ‘punu’ woodblocks, a process that involves burning the design into a wooden surface using hot wire. However, she is also a talented painter and has recently started making beautiful work on canvas.

Naomi Kantjuriny (b. 1944) is a prolific painter who has been working at Tjala Arts (formerly Minymaku) Arts since 2001. An excellent hunter, basket maker and wood carver, Naomi took to painting with remarkable ease. She is recognized for her knowledge of the Tjukurpa stories of the area and whilst she is a new and emerging artist, her technique is well developed.

Naomi’s mother’s Dreaming is Malu or kangaroo. Naomi is also a Ngangkari - traditional healer. Ngangkari provide traditional healing treatments and practices of the mind, body and spirit. They are exactly like Western doctors and equal to doctors in their effectiveness for the Aboriginal people of her region.

Maringka Tunkin (b. c1954) grew up in Amata where she attended Primary school. She went to boarding High School at Yurara in Alice Springs. Maringka previously painted at the Tjurma Homelands Art and Craft centre which was situated also in Amata. At Tjurma she painted on canvas and created pieces of batik. Maringka returned to painting in 2007 when she joined the other artists at Tjala Arts.

Freda Brady (b. 1961) was raised in the Amata community. She is the daughter of Paniny Mick and Mick Wikilyiri, both senior and highly regarded painters at Tjala Arts. Freda began her artistic career in 2002 creating batik. More recently, Freda has committed to her painting practice with great vigor and is an emerging artist with impressive skill.

Sandra Ken (b. c1954) lives in Amata with her husband Dick and four children. Sandra’s first art experiences were working and learning to paint in the craft room at Tjurma homelands Arts and Craft centre in Amata. Sandra’s painting further developed with the opening of Minymaku Arts, and she continues her practice with vigour at Tjala Arts. She is particularly excited about the largescale collaborative works she paints with her four sisters; Yaritji Young, Tjungkara Ken, Maringka Tunkin, and Freda Brady.

Tjungkara Ken (b. c1954) is a young and dedicated artist, with a remarkable depth of talent and expertise. Tjungkara started painting casually in 1997 but increased her commitment to her work in 2008 and continues her practice with vigour. Her mother’s country is Wingalina and her father’s country is Amata. Tjungkara depicts this country and its tjukurpa (dreaming) in her paintings with her distinctive style. Mountain ranges, rock holes and elements of the land are all illustrated throughout her detailed work.

She is well known for her sophisticated use of colour and striking works depicting the Seven Sisters story.

Sylvia Kanytjupai Ken (b. 1965) has been painting at Tjala Arts (formerly Minymaku Arts) since 1999. She is a committed and focused artist with exceptional skill and talent. Her mother Iluwanti and father Brenton also paint at Tjala Arts, as do her daughters Serena Heffernan and Anastine Ken.

Tuppy Goodwin (b. c1960) is a senior Pitjantjatjara woman committed to fostering traditional law, dance and painting. She was born in the bush near Bumbali Creek around 1960 and moved to Mimili when she was a baby. Her brother is artist Kunmanara Tjilpi Kankapankatja from Fregon. Tuppy was a pre-school teacher at the Mimili Anangu School for thirty years.

She retired in 2009 and began painting at the Art Centre in 2010 and has been actively exhibiting her work since then. Tuppy lives in Mimili with her husband and fellow artist Mumu Mike Williams.

Imitjala Curely (b. 1953) when her parents were at the Ernabella mission but the family moved to Fregon as soon as the cattle station was established in 1961. A senior traditional women, Imitjala holds cultural knowledge relating to the Ngintaka, Perentie lizard, and Ngapari -sugar leaf- tjukurpa at Watarru. Her connection to the Kampurparpa tjukurpa in the Walytjitjata region is through her mother, Puni Puni. It is a small homeland just over the Northern Territory border about 46km north of Kalka on the APY Lands.

Imitjala was married to Kun Curley(dec) and has five children, all girls. She has been working intermittently with Kaltjiti Arts since it began as a craft room in the early sixties.

Witjiti George (b. c1938) is from Mulga Bore Homeland. He is a senior traditional elder and holds extensive cultural knowledge. He was born in 1938 at Lambina/Granite Downs, a cattle station in the far north of South Australia.Witjiti went to school at Oodnadatta as a tjitji (small boy) before the family moved to Ernabella where he grew up. Witjiti began doing cattle work after Fregon was established in 1961. He is married to Tjangili George and they have three children. Witjiti started painting in 2007 at Kaltjiti Arts.

Taylor Cooper (b. c1940) began painting at the Kaltjiti Arts centre in 2009. It was soon recognised that his paintings contained a strong representation of Tribal knowledge. His painting refers to the creation stories or Tjukurpa associated with the traditional homelands of his mother and father. An expert craftsman, Taylor continues to make the traditional hunting weapons of aboriginal men, particularly kulata (spears) and kulata miru (spear throwers).

Yurpiya Lionel (b. 1960) was born at the homeland Donald’s Well, near Kenmore Park, east of Ernabella in South Australia.

She is the daughter of Pantjiti Lionel, a very senior Pitjantjatjara woman and artist. Her family lived in Ernabella where she attended school. In 2004 Yurpiya started painting at Ernabella Arts. She has three children and several grandchildren - her daughters Rachael and Alison Lionel are emerging painters and ceramic artists. Yurpiya is also a very accomplished fibre sculptor and weaver.

Barbara Moore (b. 1964) grew up in Ti Tree and moved to Amata to live with her husband. Barbara is an Aboriginal senior health worker for Nganampa Heath. She works in a full time position at Amata Clinic and also commits to her painting practice working at the Tjala Arts centre on a daily basis. Barbara first began to paint at Tjala Arts in April 2003 and has since become well known for her bold, graphic canvases. Her command of large scale works saw her receive the prestigious General Painting Award at the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 2012.

Alec Baker (b. 1932) was born at Saddle Well in the eastern APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) Lands, and grew up on Granite Downs station where he worked as a stockman, learning the trade and skills of handling cattle and horses. Alec Baker’s traditional languages are Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara, and as a stockman he travelled widely in the region moving and working cattle stock. In the 1950s the indigenous community of Indulkana was established to accommodate Anangu peoples who wanted to return to their homelands after years living and working on surrounding cattle stations. Granite Downs station where Alec Baker worked was eventually acquired by the community, and Alec has been a long-time resident at Indulkana.

Manyitjanu Lennon (b. 1940) comes from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in Central and South Australia. She is a senior Aboriginal elder who holds extensive cultural knowledge and respect within her community. Manyitjanu lives at Kaltjiti Community also known as Fregon Community. Manyitjanu is originally from north of Watarru around Aralya and Kunytjanu, this is her mother’s country.

Michelle Lewis (b. 1983) was born in Ernabella where she went to school and later worked at the Ernabella Clinic. Michelle Lewis is a rising star of the Ernabella painting studio. She is daughter to senior painter Atipalku Intjalki and master punu (wood) maker Adrian Intjalki. Her sisters are Langaliki and Lynette Lewis are both accomplished artists. Michelle began painting at the very end of 2017 and has quickly developed an individual style based around her father's country at Makiri, east of Ernabella. She has three children. Her art has been shown across Australia and internationally.

Betty Muffler (b. 1944) was born near Watarru, close to the border of South and Western Australia. Lives and works in Indulkana, South Australia. She works at Iwantja Arts, in Indulkana Community on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in remote South Australia. She is a renowned ngangkari (traditional healer) and senior cultural woman. Betty’s artistic practice spans painting and tjanpi (native grass) weaving. Betty learnt her Ngangkari practice from her aunties, handed down through her father’s side. Alongside a rigorous art practice, Betty continues to work extensively with NPY Women’s Council and medical practitioners to support Anangu to good health and through times of crisis. Betty Muffler won the 2017 NATSIAA Award for emerging art.

Matjangka Norris (b. 1956) is from Watinuma on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, 350 km southeast of Uluru.

She works in both the artforms of painting and batik, examples of which can be found in the National Gallery of Victoria, South Australian Museum and Flinders University Collections. Matjangka is an energetic, prolific and versatile artist. Her work features a range of subjects including the constellations, traditional country, bushfoods and mamu. Her versatility is evident in the range of styles she uses from her abstract seed paintings to those that show her creative and humorous personality and feature quirky imagery such as Mamu (spirit monsters).

For further information please contact the gallery at info@olsengruin.com or at +1.646.525.6213. All images are subject to copyright. Gallery approval must be granted prior to reproduction.

APY LANDS LA: Central Desert Painters of Australia

Yaritji Young Tjala Tjukurpa - Honey Ant Story, 2018 Acrylic on linen 78 x 78 " (198.1 x 198.1 cm) 55335 $26,000

Yaritji Young Tjala tjukurpa - Honey ant story, 2018 78 x 77 1/2 " (198 x 197 cm) 56045 $26,500

Yaritji Young Tjala Tjukurpa - Honey Ant Story, 2018 Acrylic on linen 3 78 /4 x 118 1/8 " (200 x 300 cm) 55338 $30,000

Yaritji Young Tjala Tjukurpa - Honey Ant Story, 2018 Acrylic on linen 3 78 /4 x 118 1/8 " (200 x 300 cm) 55339 $30,000

Yaritji Young Tjala Tjukurpa - Honey Ant Story, 2019 48 x 78 " (122 x 198 cm) 56030 $17,500

Wawiriya Burton Ngura, 2018 Acrylic on linen 94 1/2 x 78 3/4 " (240 x 200 cm) 56034 $20,500

Wawiriya Burton Ngayaku Ngura - My Country, 2019 60 x 48 " (152.5 x 122 cm) 56031 $9,500

Ken Sisters' Collaborative Seven Sisters, 2018 Acrylic on linen 78 x 78 " (198.1 x 198.1 cm) 55342 $13,500

Ken Sisters' Collaborative Seven Sisters, 2018 Acrylic on linen 78 x 77 1/2 " (198 x 197 cm) 56037 $14,000

Barbara Moore Ngayuku Ngura (My Country), 2018 Oil on linen 1 78 x 77 /2 " (198 x 197 cm) 56042 $10,500

Barbara Moore Ngayaku Ngura - My Country, 2019 48 x 78 " (122 x 198 cm) 56029 Sold

Imitjala Curley Walytitjata: Ngayuku ngunytjuku ngura 1, 2018 Acrylic on Belgian linen 3 78 /4 x 78 3/4 " (200 x 200 cm) 56035 $8,000

Tuppy Ngintja Goodwin Antara, 2019 Acrylic on linen 58 5/8 x 58 5/8 " (149 x 149 cm) 56023 $6,000

Taylor Cooper Malara: 1 Wanampi Tjukurpa, 2018 59 7/8 x 48 " (152 x 122 cm) 56026 $5,500

Mitakiki Women's Collaborative Seven Sisters, 2018 Acrylic on linen 78 x 60 " (198.1 x 152.4 cm) 55341 $6,500

Sylvia Ken Seven Sisters, 2018 Acrylic on linen 78 x 60 " (198.1 x 152.4 cm) 55331 Sold

Alec Baker Ngura, 2018 Acrylic on linen 78 x 65 3/4 " (198 x 167 cm) 56033 $8,000

Manyitjanu Lennon Mamungari 'nya, 2018 Acrylic on Belgian linen 60 1/4 x 48 " (153 x 122 cm) 56039 $5,000

Michelle Lewis Ngayuka mamaku ngura ini Makiri, 2018 39 3/8 x 66 7/8 " (100 x 170 cm) 56040 $4,000

Matjangka Norris Ngura Pilti, 2018 Acrylic on Belgian linen 78 3/4 x 118 1/8 " (200 x 300 cm) 56044 $12,500

Mitakiki Men's Collaborative Ngayuku ngura (My Country), 2017 Acrylic on linen 78 x 77 1/2 " (198 x 197 cm) 56041 $8,500

Witjiti George Piltati: Wanampi Tjukurpa, 2018 Acrylic on Belgian linen 78 x 72 " (198 x 183 cm) 56036 $8,000

Witjiti George Piltati: Wanampi Tjukurpa, 2019 47 7/8 x 40 1/8 " (121.5 x 102 cm) 56025 $4,000

Imitjala Curley Walytjitjata: Ngayuku ngunytjuku ngura, 2017 59 7/8 x 47 7/8 " (152 x 121.5 cm) 56024 $5,500

Betty Muffler Ngangkari Ngura, 2018 Acrylic on linen 7 59 /8 x 78 " (152 x 198 cm) 56043 $6,000

Yurpiya Lionel Anumara, 2019 Acrylic on linen 26 x 47 1/4 " (66 x 120 cm) 56028 Sold