THE DESART RADAR Art, words and photos from Central Australian Aboriginal art centres
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Art, words and photos from Central Australian Aboriginal art centres Quarterly edition, Spring 2020 THE DESART RADAR
DESERT MOB SYMPOSIUM
Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre –
Tennant Creek Brio at NIRIN
Also taking a political body of work to NIRIN 22nd Biennale of Sydney was
the Tennant Creek Brio, an artist collective with the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and
Cultural Centre. The Brio’s work is a dynamic interplay of traditional and
contemporary influences that reflect the artists’ cultural voice that speaks
to the rigours of life in a frontier town. Collective members Jimmy Frank and
Joseph Williams unpack the NIRIN experience, the impact and the future.
Papunya Tjupi Artists’ Stories
A right turn at Kurrkalnga Puli (Memory Hill) took us to Papunya Tjupi artists
for a day talking with established artists, Mona Gorey Nangala and Candy
Nelson Nakamara as well as art worker and emerging artist Sharon Butcher
Napanangka about their work. Last year Papunya Tjupi opened the men’s
painting space resulting in an end of year exhibition so we were keen to
speak with the fellas. Traditional owner Bob Dixon speaks of the importance
of the men’s space, with artist Keanu Nelson and art worker and emerging
photographer Herman Corby.
Image: Photographer: Bruce Inkamala, Director: Watson Corby, Courtesy Papunya Tjupi Arts.
Image (left): Yalpirakinu, Adrian Jangala Robertson, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 2020. Image courtesy of Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists.
Congratulations!
Desart would like to
congratulate and celebrate
all the artists involved in
the 2020 Telstra National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Art Awards.
These prestigious awards
showcase the brilliant
contemporary works of emerging and established artists who collectively
truly represent the art of the nation.
A huge congratulations especially to two of Desart’s member art centres
who took out top prizes:
• Adrian Jangala Robertson of Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists who won
the Telstra General Painting Award for his work, Yalpirakinu, 2020.
• Illuwanti Ken of Tjala Arts, winner of the Telstra Works on Paper Award with
Walawulu ngunytju kukaku ananyi (Mother Eagles going hunting), 2020.
Desart would also like to acknowledge and congratulate all the 2020 Award
winners:
• Ngarralja Tommy May, Telstra Art Award.
• Marrnyula Munungurr, Telstra Bark Painting Award.
• Siena Mayutu Wurmarri Stubbs, Telstra Multimedia Award.
• Jenna Lee, Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award.
• Cecilia Umbagai, Telstra Emerging Artist Award.
Image (inset): Adrian Jangala Robertson pictured with Artist Services Coordinator Sandra Brown
and Desart CEO and MAGNT board member, Philip Watkins.
Congratulations!
Desart congratulates Debra Thomas
of Martumili Artists who was awarded
the Judges Prize at the 2020 Jury Art
Prize, for her winning work
Yilyara.“When Martu paint, it’s like a
map. Martu draw story on the ground
and on the canvas, and all the circle
and line there are the hunting areas
and different waters and tracks where
people used to walk, and [some you]
can’t cross, like boundaries. So
nowadays you see a colourful
painting and wonder what it is, but
that’s how Martu tell story long ago.
It’s not just a lovely painting, it’s a
story and a songline and a history
and everything that goes with it.”
Image: Yilyara
Yilyara,, Debra Thomas. Photo courtesy – Ngalangka Nola Taylor and Joshua
of Martumili Artists. Booth.
Ngamurru
Katjarra Butler of Tjarlirli Art
17 July – 8 August 2020 / RAFT
Artspace
“With bold colours and broad,
energetic brush strokes, my
grandmother continues to
preserve her culture and identity.
She captures Ngamurru.”
– Winston Green, 2020.
Image: Untitled, Katjarra Butler. Image
courtesy of RAFT Artspace and Tjarlirli Arts.
EXHIBITION
11 September – 25 October
ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE, MPARNTWE
Online sales from 9am on 11 September
Free ticketed public viewing from 1pm
araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au
SYMPOSIUM
4 – 11 September
Online at desart.com.au
MARKETPLACE
12 – 19 September
Online at desart.com.au
Image: Marlene Rubuntja, Hubert Pareroultja and Mervyn Rubuntja. Photo by Rhett Hammerton.
Mural projects
Image (top): Some of the participating painters in Ernabella. Photo by Mel George, courtesy of Ernabella Arts.
South Australian community
Ernabella, is now a burst of colour
thanks to a local community
project.
Over 100 elders, artists, family
and children worked together to
complete the mural on the local
Mai Wiru (good food) store. Youth worked alongside artists, each creating their
own unique section, to visually represent the Tjukurpa, Mai and community life.
Image (bottom): Mervyn Rubuntja and family. Photo by Iris Bendor, courtesy of Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre.
With COVID-19 restrictions meaning no youth worker, this project provided an
inclusive, creative outlet for the kids over the school holidays.
This project was supported by the Australia Council for the Arts in partnership
with Ernabella Arts, Regional Anangu Services Aboriginal Corporation (RASAC)
Community Development Program and Mai Wiru Store.
Iltja Ntjarra artist Mervyn Rubuntja has captured a striking scene from Central
Australia in his watercolour landscapes that have been recreated and installed
as window wraps at the Alice Plaza in the Todd Mall.
Mervyn’s distinctive style depicts the striking beauty of the West MacDonnell
Ranges, using clear and vivid colours.
“The painting is about women’s dreaming and land at Mount Sonder.”
Mervyn’s work is part of the larger Revitalise Alice – Street Art Project.
Developed by Red Hot Arts, this project aimed to create work for local artists
and support for local business that have been hard hit during the COVID-19
crisis, while revitalizing and beautifying the CBD.
DESERT MOB GOES ONLINE IN 2020
We have been working closely with our art centres to transform our
annual celebration of Central Australian Aboriginal Art into an
immersive and inclusive online experience, including the Symposium and
MarketPlace.
The Exhibition can be visited in person but will also
be available to view and purchase online.
We are excited to bring our region’s art and stories
digitally to art lovers everywhere.
DESERT MOB SYMPOSIUM
Ikuntji Artists Museum Stories
We headed to Ikuntji Artists at Haasts Bluff who have been travelling to
national and international museums to identify Luritja objects in these
collections. This has been a long term project of the Art Centre who continue
to work toward the return of these objects, ‘to heal the land and the people’
– Walter Jugadai.
Image: Walter Jugadai of Ikuntji Artists. Photo by Devris Hasan, Desart.
A Day in the Life of
Hermannsburg
Potters
We enjoyed a day at Hermannsburg
Potters with original members
Judith Inkamala Pungkarta, Rahel
Ungwanaka Kngwarria, Anita Ratara
Mbitjana and daughter Hayley
Coulthard Panangka. Judith, Rahel
and Anita were original members
of the Ntaria Ladies Choir which
went onto perform with the Central
Australian Aboriginal Women’s
Choir. It was a day of song and pots
– what more could you ask for?
Image: Artwork by Dawn Ngala Wheeler,
Hermannsburg Potters. Photo by Devris Hasan,
Desart.
DESERT MOB SYMPOSIUM
Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre –
Marissa Maher on curating & Homeless On My
Homeland Exhibition artists
Closer to town we visited Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre to speak
with Assistant Manager and Curator Marissa Maher about the exhibition
Tjina Nurna-ka, Pmarra Nurna-kanha, Itla Itla Nurna-kanha: Our Family, Our
Country, Our Legacy which she co-curated with Flinders University Museum
of Art’s Madeline Reece and Nic Brown for Tarnanthi 2019. Many Hands
artists were invited to take part in NIRIN 22nd Biennale of Sydney with
artists focusing on the issue of homelessness with a series of striped nylon
bags with a written statement on one side and artwork on the other. We
talk with Clara Inkamala, Selma Coulthard, Vanessa Inkamala and Mervyn
Rubuntja about the ground-breaking exhibition Homeless On My Homeland.
ISSN 2209-7988
Key dates
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/desart.inc
6 -14 August Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair online at
darwinaboriginalartfair.com
8 August – 31 January 2021 Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Awards
MAGNT Darwin NT
11 September – 25 October Desert Mob Exhibition, Araluen Art Centre and online at
araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au
4 – 11 September Desart Symposium, online at desart.com.au
12 – 19 September Desert Mob MarketPlace, online at desart.com.au
11 September Desart Photography Prize, online at desart.com.au
Email blasts for Desart members
Keep up to date with industry news, grants, art prizes and competition opportunities.
Email programofficer@desart.com.au if you’re missing out on our grant and competition
email blasts.
Contacts
Reg Harris Lane – Todd Street Mall
PO Box 9219 Alice Springs
www.instagram.com/desartinc/
Northern Territory 0871 Australia
P +61 (0) 8 8953 4736 Art Worker Program Educator
F +61 (0) 8 8953 4517 Penny Watson
E mail@desart.com.au educator@desart.com.au
www.desart.com.au Finance
finance@desart.com.au
Chief Executive Officer SAM Database Project Manager
Philip Watkins Bronwyn Taylor
ceo@desart.com.au sam@desart.com.au
Administration Officer Strong Business Program Manager
Melena Cole-Manolis Carmel Young
admin@desart.com.au programmanager@desart.com.au
Art Worker Program Manager Strong Business Program Officer
Marlene Chisholm Eliza Walters
artworker@desart.com.au programofficer@desart.com.auYou can also read
