Wati Pulka - Important Man by ReDot Fine Art Gallery

ReDot Fine Art Gallery in collaboration with Ninuku Arts presents

Wati Pulka - Important Man

21 st August - 21 st September 2013

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

c o n t e m p o r a r y

f i n e

i n d i g e n o u s

a r t

Welcome to Kalka - Home of the Ninuku Artists

Pipalyatjara Landscape - Home of the Ninuku Artists

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Old generation are here now and I am old generation too. Lots of old generation have passed away. What are you going to do? What happens when I pass away?...... New generation got to learn Tjukurpa.â&#x20AC;? Harry TJUTJUNA Senior Ninuku Artist

Wati Pulka - Important Man Ninuku Arts

ReDot Fine Art Gallery is honoured to hosting Wati Pulka – Important Man, a followup exhibition from the sell out show by Ninuku Arts in 2012. Deriving from a tiny community in the north-western corner of South Australia, Ninuku Arts is one of the most exciting art centres to emerge over the past 5-10 years. The exhibition, boasts an extraordinary group of master works painted by the 3 most senior men in the community together with a small body of works by 2 pretenders to their throne, Stanley and Samuel. As the traditional owners of the land these men hold the most important stories of their country deep within their hearts and are tasked with its survival and passage into the next generation. This exhibition is a bold statement about ownership and history, but also a joyous collection of paintings acting as an invitation to the viewer – an invitation onto the land of these old tribal men. As well as teaching the international audience about their culture, the show also aims to teach the emerging artists, laying down a challenge to take their cultural forward in today’s modern world. It is critical to the continuation of this great indigenous culture that it is taught to the future generations. As senior man and Ngangkari (traditional healer) Harry Tjutjuna describes, “Old generation are here now and I am old generation too. Lots of old generation 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. His unique style and approach has made him one of the most sought-after practicing artists in the country. He paints a range of stories with both authority and courage. He is known for the drippy, painterly qualities in his technique, and is a natural colourist often choosing a palette of vibrant, poppy hues. Senior artist Jimmy Donegan is another artist inspired by the colourful landscape, using a plethora of colours to depict his Tjukurpa (or Dreaming stories). Donegan continues to be celebrated as one of the most sought-after artists from the district to Australian and International collectors, galleries and institutions, since winning the prestigious Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Telstra Art Award in 2010. Sandy Brumby joins these two colossal heavy weights, born in the bush at Victory Downs, an outstation near Pukatja (Ernabella), he was a stockman for many years, long before Kalka and the Pipalyatjara communities existed. In 2010, in his sixties, Sandy Brumby picked up a paint brush for the first time and since has religiously

painted, 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. Giorgio Pilla Director ReDot Fine Art Gallery

Jimmy DONEGAN Birth Date Language Place of Birth Community

circa 1940 Ngaanyatjarra and Pitjantjatjara Near Ngatuntjarra Bore Kalka, South Australia

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 ties 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

Awards

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 Peter & Agnes Cooke Collection Arthur Roe Collection Vicki & Wayne McGeoch Collection National Gallery of Victoria

2010

Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award (NATSIA) - General Painting & Overall & Prize Winner

Jimmy DONEGAN

Pukara Acrylic on Linen 183 x 183cm NKJD12417

This is a story about kaliny-kalinypa (honey grevillea plant), which Anangu (the term for people in Pitjantjatjara) used as a type of bush lolly, sucking the nectar out of the plant. In the Tjukurpa (Dreaming story) a father and son, Wati Kutjara Wanampi (two male water snakes), are living at Pukara, an important waterhole site near Irrunytju (Wingellina). Because of the kaliny-kalinypa which is found at the site the water there has a sweet taste and lots of people go there to access it. But father Wati Wanampi doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like this and he tells them to go back to their own country. The people leave and the father and son travel to Willuna, where they camp for weeks. When they return to Pukara, they are awoken by a buzzing sound. Minyma Punpunpa (the female flies) are making lots of noise as they buzz around the honey bush. This prompts the father and son to get up to go and collect honey. While they are doing this, a Wati Mututa (black ant) finds the father and son, and spears the son in his side. The young son starts spitting and he spits up the yellow and orange seeds of all the different types of honey grevillea. These plants can still be found at this site today. There is a big variety of honey grevillea plants including kaliny-kalinypa, ultunkunpa, piruwa and witjinti.

Jimmy DONEGAN

Pukara Acrylic on Linen 122 x 121cm NKJD10393

This is a story about kaliny-kalinypa (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, lots of people, come to the rockhole for the sweet water and the father wanampi says â&#x20AC;&#x153;go back to your own countryâ&#x20AC;?. 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.

Jimmy DONEGAN

Pukara Acrylic on Linen 122 x 91cm NKJD12418

This is a story about kaliny-kalinypa (honey grevillea plant), which Anangu (the term for people in Pitjantjatjara) use as a type of bush lolly, sucking the nectar out of the plant. In the Tjukurpa (Dreaming story) a father and son, Wati Kutjara Wanampi (two male water snakes), are living at Pukara, an important waterhole site near Irrunytju (Wingellina). Because of the kaliny-kalinypa which is found at the site the water there has a sweet taste and lots of people go there to access it. But father Wati Wanampi doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like this and he tells them to go back to their own country. The people leave and the father and son travel to Willuna, where they camp for weeks. When they return to Pukara, they are awoken by a buzzing sound. Minyma Punpunpa (the female flies) are making lots of noise as they buzz around the honey bush. This prompts the father and son to get up to go and collect honey. While they are doing this, a Wati Mututa (black ant) finds the father and son, and spears the son in his side. The young son starts spitting and he spits up the yellow and orange seeds of all the different types of honey grevillea. These plants can still be found at this site today. There is a big variety of honey grevillea plants including kaliny-kalinypa, ultunkunpa, piruwa and witjinti.

Harry TJUTJUNA Birth Date Language Place of Birth Community

circa 1930 Pitjantjatjara Walytjatjara Pipalyatjara

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. 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, 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. Collections

Awards

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 Peter & Agnes Cooke Collection Arthur Roe Collection Vicki & Wayne McGeoch Collection AAMU Museum, Utrecht Parliament House Collection, Canberra Art Gallery of New South Wales

2011 2010 2009

Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award (NATSIA) - Finalist Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award (NATSIA) - Finalist Western Australia Indigenous Art Awards, Finalist Togart Contemporary Art Award, Finalist Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award (NATSIA) - Finalist

Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Nyiru Acrylic on Linen 168 x 153cm NKHT13038

This is a story about a wati (man) named Nyiru. This is Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique interpretation of an important Tjukurpa (Dreaming story) often painted by women, known as Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters Dreaming), although Harry paints this story from the perspective of the male character - Wati Nyiru. Wati Nyiru is sitting up high on a hill at Wyalla, near Port Augusta. He watches the seven sisters go into one end of a cave, and then blocks the other end so they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come out. But Wati Nyiru falls asleep, only to wake up and find that they have escaped. He travels around the countryside - from Broken Hill to Nyipurana - looking for them. He is able to track the kungka mob (group of girls), as he can see the smoke from their fire. In the story, Wati Nyiru eventually catches the youngest sister and marries her. Harry identifies strongly with this ancestral figure.

Harry TJUTJUNA

Kungka Tjuta Acrylic on Linen 122 x 183cm NKHT12415

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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kungka Maluâ&#x20AC;?.

Harry TJUTJUNA

Mututa Tjukurpa Acrylic on Linen 153 x 122cm NKHT12416

This is a Dreaming story about a site near Kalka known as Mututa. A Minyma Ninu (bilby woman) was there with her family and they were all eating maku (witchetty grubs). They found the maku in the roots of different plants, from tjilka-tjilka (shrubs), punti (cassia bushes), ngarkalya (sandhill wattle) and kanturangu (desert poplar). They ate so many that there were only ngingirpa (little, immature ones) left. The Wati Mututa (ant men) got really angry because there was no good food left. They all marched together, chasing the bilby family. The army of ants punished them by spearing them. At this site today, there are clusters of black rocks set into the side of the hill - they represent the Wati Mututa or the ant men.

Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Nyiru Acrylic on Linen 122 x 122cm NKHT13053

Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Nyiru Acrylic on Linen 122 x 91cm NKHT12414

Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Nyiru Acrylic on Linen 90 x 107cm NKHT12134

Harry TJUTJUNA

Wati Ngintaka Tjukurpa Acrylic on Linen 71 x 133cm NKHT13039

This is a story about Wati Ngintaka Tjukurpa (perentie lizard man creation story). That Wati Ngintaka (lizard man) heard the clapping sound of a beautiful grinding stone - a traditional tool used for grinding mai (food). He wanted that stone for himself, so he travelled from Arang’nga a long way east towards Wayatina, looking for the stone. He spotted Anangu tjuta (lots of Aboriginal people) at a camp. Some of the people gave him mai (food) in the form of a seed cake, but it was dry and he didn’t like it. Then one lady gave him delicious food and he knew that it had been made with seeds ground on the special grinding stone. He spied the grinding stone and stole it, hiding it in under his tail. When they all went hunting the next day, Wati Ngintaka stayed in camp, saying he had sore feet. Once they were gone, it was safe and he left, stealing the grinding stone. All the people were angry with the Wati Ngintaka and chased him. When they caught him they felt all over his body to see where he was hiding the grinding stone, but couldn’t find it. Wati Ngintaka held up his arms and claimed he didn’t have it, but they saw he was hiding it, wipungka (in his tail). They speared the Wati Ngintaka and retrieved the grinding stone. He passed away at a place called Aran’nga in the Northern Territory. Ngaltutjara (poor thing).

Sandy BRUMBY Birth Date Language Place of Birth Community

Yankunytjatjara Victory Downs 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 move to Amata, and finally settled in Pipalyatjara, where they had two children - one boy and one girl. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Collection Vicki & Wayne McGeoch Collection

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 183 x 183cm NKSB12422

This is 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 him any. So the man had no mai. After the man left, the women fed all the mai to the tjitji (children) until they were full. The man came back again and the group travelled together to Pangkupiri, which is near Tjukurla and close to the country where Sandy Brumby’s mother was born.

Sandy BRUMBY

Kulitja Acrylic on Linen 122 x 107cm NKSB12421

This story is about a place called Kulitja, in Yankunytjatjara country close to Victory Downs in the Northern Territory. There are many rockholes at this site and it is the home of a Wati Wanampi (male water serpent). He is looking around for kuka (meat) and mai (bushtucker) such as kampurarpa (bush tomato) and wayanu (quandong). One day, another water serpent comes to this place. The wati wanampi fights him and he runs away. After that, the Wati Wanampi eats the food, curls up and goes to sleep, forming a large rockhole that is still there today. This is the home of the Wati Wanampi (male water serpent).

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 91 x 91cm NKSB12183

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 106 x 61cm NKSB13036

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 91 x 61cm NKSB13138

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 91 x 46cm NKSB13037

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 61 x 56cm NKSB13175

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 61 x 55cm NKSB13034

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 61 x 56cm NKSB13205

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 61 x 55cm NKSB13035

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 56 x 61cm NKSB13124

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 56 x 61cm NKSB13173

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 56 x 61cm NKSB13174

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 56 x 61cm NKSB13206

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 56 x 61cm NKSB13160

Sandy BRUMBY

Victory Downs Acrylic on Linen 46 x 46cm NKSB13107

Nyayati Stanley YOUNG Birth Date Language Place of Birth Community

1/06/1949 Pitjantjatjara Rockhole west of Irrunytju Kalka

Nyayati Stanley Young was born west of Irrunytju at a secret sacred rockhole site, in around 1949. 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 (traditional 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 Vicki & Wayne McGeoch Collection

Nyayati Stanley YOUNG

Kalaya Tjukurpa (Emu Dreaming) Acrylic on Linen 122 x 183cm NKSY12420

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.

Nyayati Stanley YOUNG

Kalaya Tjukurpa (Emu Dreaming) Acrylic on Linen 122 x 122cm NKSY13056

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.

Samuel MILLER Birth Date Language Place of Birth Community

23/12/1966 Pitjantjatjara Ernabella Kalka, South Australia

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. Samuelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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). Samuelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Vicki & Wayne McGeoch Collection

Samuel MILLER

Ngayuku Ngura Acrylic on Linen 183 x 153cm NKSM12194

Ngayuku Ngura means ‘My Place’. Samuel uses an extensive palette of colours to paint the country surrounding Kalka and Pipalyatjara. His paintings feature the various land formations from that area - rockholes, creeks and hills. His land is a sacred men’s rockhole, so sacred that the name is not allowed to be written down or spoken about.

Samuel MILLER

Ngayuku Ngura Acrylic on Linen 121 x 182cm NKSM10396

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 menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rockhole and the name is not allowed to be written down. His colour palette is drawn from the varying colours in the landscape surrounding Kalka and used in a rainbow like patterning in his work.

Samuel MILLER

Ngayuku Ngura Acrylic on Linen 110 x 183cm NKSM12419

Samuel MILLER

Ngayuku Ngura Acrylic on Linen 122 x 107cm NKSM13040

Ninuku Art Centre - Paint sink at the end of a day of painting

Pipalyatjara Mine Walk

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