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An exhibition by Aboriginal & Pacific Art gallery in association with Tjala Arts, Amata, SA.
Exhibiton Dates: 19 February - 14 March, 2025
Women of Amata
Sylvia Ken, Naomi Kantjuriny and Janie Kulyuru.
Three women of Amata community, Central desert, South Australia. Naomi Kantjuriny, Sylvia Ken and Janie Kulyuru are prolific painters at Tjala Arts centre. These women are malpa (friends) and each tell very different, rich cultural stories. Growing up in Central Desert communities, they all express the joy in handing down stories passed down through generations.
Sylvia Ken, a prolific contemporary artist, paints the Seven Sisters story, an important dreaming story of Amata region. Sylvia’s work has been acquired by institutions and major collections in Australia and internationally. She has been a multiple finalist at the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards and the finalist and overall winner at the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2019.
Naomi Kantjuriny, 2024 recipient of the Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, paints Minyma Mamu Tjuta. This translates to many old spirits, both good and evil. She talks about Mamu appearing in her Dreamtime to teach her grandchildren lessons, they appear as spooky, witty and humorous. Just like her paintings, Naomi is a fun character and well respected elder in community as well as a Ngankari ( traditional healer).
Janie Kulyuru is an exciting young artist, who has had huge success across Australia, participating in Group and Solo Exhibitions over the past 10 years. Janie tells both her father and mother’s Creation story Tjukurpa Waru or fire story. She paints alongside her sister Munu Kulyuru. Her mother’s father’s country, depicting her Tjamu (Grandfather’s) Country of Watarru, homelands located near Amata.
