Alfonso Puautjimi (1969- ) is an established artist who has worked at Ngaruwanajirri Inc. for over 20 years, having started painting with the group in 1997. He is one of the many artists there with a distinctive and individual style of expression, and whose painting has moved from strength to strength over the past decade. The subject matter of his stylistically individual ochre paintings is drawn from his every day environment: including figures in the painting studio, houses, planes, cars and bicycles. 

Ngaruwanajirri  Inc. translates as 'helping one another' and is located at Wurrumiyanga (formerly known as Nguiu), situated on Bathurst Island in the Tiwi Islands, NT. The art workshop began in 1994 and since then has been operating in its present location at the Keeping House historical building. With the support of commonwealth and state governments, Ngaruwanajirri Inc. is in part a Life Skills a program for Tiwi people with disabilities.

Artists at Ngaruwanajirri Inc. work with a variety of media, particularly traditional ochres, and work from a range of inspiration and styles, from classical Tiwi designs to subjects surrounding everyday life on and around the island.

Churchill Cann (1944- 2016) was born and grew up on Texas Downs Station, northeast of Warmun, where he worked as a stockman for most of his life. His bush name is Yiliyarri. Churchill has travelled extensively throughout the Kimberley, working on many different cattle stations between Warmun and Broome. When station work finished, Churchill moved to Warmun Community to live, where he was well known as an important ceremonial dancer, bushman and senior artist.

Patrick Mung Mung (b.1948) was born at Spring Creek and worked as a stockman for many years on Texas Downs Station and nearby stations in the East Kimberley. He is a senior artist at Warmun Art Centre and an elder at Warmun Community. His knowledge of his country and his cultural memory of family, land and work are powerfully linked in his work.

Nganampa Waltja Tjurkpa – Our Family Tjukurpa is an exhibition by senior Tjala Arts in conjunction with Aboriginal & Pacific Art. Artists featured include Sylvia Ken – the recent Wynne Prize winner, alongside senior artists Wawiriya Burton, Mick Wikilyiri, Nyunmiti Burton, family collaboratives by Mona Mitakiki, Naomi Kantjuriny and Tjimpayi Presley and works by emerging artists Stanley Douglas and Freda Brady.

 “I think about my story from looking at the sky. I listen to the old people’s stories and I think about these stories and then ideas come from my paintings. I listened to my mother and father, my grandmother and grandfather. I listen when they are talking about Tjukurpa and telling creation stories and when they say to me, ‘no you should paint this way, the Seven Sisters.’ I listen and they show me, like this way and that way.” - Sylvia Ken.

Papunya Tjupi Arts is a 100% Aboriginal owned and directed community arts organisation based in Papunya, the birthplace of the Western Desert art movement. The artists of Papunya Tjupi have established their own unique identity based on the legacy of their forefathers.

Charlotte Phillipus Napurulla, Doris Bush Nungarrayi and Mona Nangala are three of Papunya Tjupi’s most prolific artists and are important Elders for the community. Charlotte, Doris and Mona are expressive storytellers with deep connections to country. They have become renowned for their strong line-work and for continuously developing new ways to tell the old stories. 

Kungka mankurrpakunu warrka connects the work of these three artists through a shared dedication in depicting their respective Countries in deeply personal ways. Charlotte and Mona both transform representations of sand hills in entirely different ways, while Doris draws on vivid memories of her past. 

VIEW THE EXHIBITION CATALOGUE

In their joint exhibition 'Ruwa Martuwarra-Karti Jaa Pirra-Karti - Going Hunting to the River and Billabongs' two remarkable sisters, Sonia Kurarra and Daisy Japulija, effortlessly combine their memories of a life by the river with new art mediums to create exciting contemporary artwork. Held in association with Mangkaja Arts, Fitzroy Crossing, WA.

view the exhibition catalogue