Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) Senior Artists - Group Exhibition

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 contemporary fine aboriginal art “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 4 Although this insightful sentiment was expressed by a renowned Indigenous leader some work over the past decade, the award winning painting is solemn and emphatic in its 5 27 years ago, it still resonates clearly today. Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) is a celebration design, but dazzlingly illuminated. The artist’s technique is to compose the colour lines of place, home and country of birth. It symbolises the deep roots that connect Indigenous of his canvases from thousands of large dots in different hues, which blend into a whole.’ Australians with their homeland – in this instance, the artists from two remote (The Weekend Australian, August 2010). communities, Pipalyatjara and Kalka, in the South Australian Desert. For Ninuku Arts, whose artists are still considered to be ‘emerging’, this first independent international Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) boasts an exciting group of master works painted group exhibition of the artists’ work breaks new ground. 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 Although having only been in existence for less than a decade, Ninuku Arts is an hearts. As the name ‘Our Place’ suggests, this exhibition is a statement about ownership important part of the celebrated area known as the APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara and history, but it is also a joyous celebration of the artists’ country. This collection of Yankunytjatjara) Lands. Recognised as one of the most dynamic artistic regions in sublime and intriguing paintings acts as an invitation to the viewer – an invitation from Australia, the APY Lands have been propelled onto the national stage over recent years. these old men and women to experience their land as it is revealed through their work. Ninuku Arts is an Indigenous-owned organisation based in the tiny community of Kalka, As well as teaching an international audience about the artists’ culture, this exhibition in an area where the majority of the artists speak Pitjantjatjara. Kalka is a place of colour has been put together with the aim of teaching the emerging artists from the district. and beauty – rocky mountain ranges, cavernous ravines, desert flowers, red earth and It is critical to the continuation of this great Indigenous culture that future generations narrow trees, with flourishing foliage covering much of the ground. It is not surprising continue to learn about it. As senior man and ngangkari (traditional healer) Harry that a lot of the artwork from this area uses a vibrant palette, rich in colour. But this art Tjutjuna describes, ‘Old generation are here now and I am old generation too. Lots of old is also steeped in history and tradition, each artist depicting their Tjukurpa (Dreaming or generations have passed away. What can we do? What happens when I pass away? New Story), which derives from their land or place of birth. generation got to learn Tjukurpa (Dreaming Stories).’ The art centre itself is named after the ‘Ninuku Tjukurpa’, or Bilby Dreaming, which is Harry Tjutjuna is the most senior of the artists exhibiting; in fact, he is one of the few associated with the site on which the centre is situated. As Founding Director and artist remaining artists of his generation. His unique style and approach has made him one Yaritji Connelly explains: ‘Ninunya mulapa minyma Tjukuritja, palupalanguru kurunpa of the most sought-after practising artists in the country. He paints a range of stories mukuringanyi pulkara.’ (Our spirits have a deep attachment to the bilby. The bilby woman with powerful authority and unwavering courage. He is known for the drippy, painterly is our true creation ancestor and this means we have a need for her in our spirit and qualities of his brushstrokes, and is a natural colourist, often choosing a palette of vibrant soul.) 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 The work of senior artist Jimmy Donegan reveals the strong inspiration he derives from Wanka (or Spider Man), the spirit ancestor whom Harry describes himself as being; and the colours that are so intrinsic to the area. Known colloquially around the art centre Wati Nyiru, an ancient character who chases seven sisters around looking for a wife. 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 Sandy Brumby is another artist at the art centre who uses a brush, rather than a dotting is to use a thin stick that he has picked up from the ground or plucked from a tree to stick, to create his paintings. Sandy is relatively new to painting however he is already produce a repetition of dotted lines that flow across the canvas. Then, using a brush, he considered an artist to watch. His approach to composition is bold yet whimsical - often forms pools of colour that sit within the densely dotted areas. 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 Since winning the prestigious Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Telstra Art Award in surroundings and what other artists are doing. This gives his work a “stand alone” quality 2010, Donegan has become one of the most celebrated artists in the APY Lands, his that resonates with raw and independent power. His loose and fluid brushwork is in works eagerly sought by Australian and international collectors, galleries and institutions. striking contrast to other male artists with a more formal approach to their work. As Australian arts writer Nicolas Rothwell reported at the time, ‘Like much of Donegan’s 6 One such artist is Stanley Young. He is a celebrated traditional dancer. He dances the then works over them with varying-sized dots. She paints a nearby site known as Arulya, 7 Kalaya Dance – the dance of the Emu. Not surprisingly he also sometimes depicts this where she was born. For many years Tjulkiwa lived at Ernabella – a community of artists Tjukurpa in his paintings. Unlike Harry Tjutjuna, Mr Young lays down the multitude of known for their decorative approach – and this is evident here in the way she depicts the colours he uses with precision and a steady hand, creating a composition of structure land formations, applying a carefully mixed range of colours, each one only subtly different and minimalism. His canvases can take months to produce and the result is a proud and from the next. The highly optical and contemporary result she achieves is quite arresting austere painting that commands the attention of the viewer. among the other desert works. The women featured in the show definitely lean towards a more feminine palette. Last This exhibition is accompanied by a series of landscape photographs sensitively married year founding directors of the art centre Yaritji Connelly and Molly Nampitjin Miller to the paintings to give an impression of the land and the soil from which the paintings attended an exhibition at ReDot Fine Art Gallery that jointly showcased works from come. It showcases an exceptional and masterful collection of works – many of them two art centres – Ninuku Arts and Tjungu Palya from the APY Lands. Both directors large in scale – that gives the audience a powerful insight into their place, their country are again featured in this show. They have played, and continue to play, a pivotal role in and their story. Nganampa Ngura (Our Place) is a true celebration of the contribution the development, growth and success of the art centre, and are equally as strong and these men and women have made to culture and to art. 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. Claire Eltringham It features a water snake which she depicts by painting sweeping curves to create a coil, Art Centre Manager 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.

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