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Limited Edition Print

• Artist: Shorty Jangala Robertson
• Title: Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming)
• Size: 29 x 21cm
• Catalogue: 08/05p-71/100 & 08/05p-93/100

Biography

Shorty Jangala Robertson was born at Jila (Chilla Well), a large soakage and claypan north west of Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community located 290 kms north-west of Alice Springs in the NT of Australia. He lived a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle with his parents, older brother and extended Warlpiri family. They travelled vast distances across desert country, passing through Warlukurlangu, south west of Jila and Ngarlikurlangu, north of Yuendumu, visiting Jangala’s, his skin brothers. His childhood memories consist of stories associated with the Coniston massacre of Aboriginal people. Families were also shot at Wantaparri, close to Jila. Shorty Jangala Robertson had virtually no contact with white fellas during his youth but remembered leaving Jila for Mt Theo ‘to hide’ from being shot. His father died at Mt Theo. He moved with his mother to Mt Doreen Station, and subsequently the new settlement of Yuendumu. During World War II, the army took people from Yuendumu to the other Warlpiri settlement at Lajamanu. Shorty was taken and separated from his mother; however, she came to get him on foot and together they travelled hundreds of miles back to Chilla Well. Drought food and medical supplies forced Shorty and his family back to Yuendumu from time to time. His working life was full of adventure and hard work for different enterprises in the Alice Springs and Yuendumu areas. He finally settled at Yuendumu in 1967 after the Australian Citizen Referendum. It is extraordinary in all his travels and jobs over his whole working life, that he escaped the burgeoning and flourishing Central Desert art movement of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Thus Shorty’s paintings are fresh, vigorous and new. His use of colour to paint and interpret his dreamings of Ngapa (Water), Watiyawarnu (Acacia), Yankirri (Emu) and Pamapardu (Flying Ant) is vital, yet upholding the Warlpiri tradition. Shorty was well in his 70’s when he started painting. He was an active member of the Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Association, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu. His first solo exhibition at Alcaston Gallery in 2003 was met with great artistic acclaim. Since then he exhibited in Aboriginal Art Exhibitions in Australia and overseas.

He passed away 28-09-2014 on a sunny Sunday morning.

Limited Edition Print

• Artist: Paddy Japaljarri Sims (dec)
• Title: Night Sky Dreaming
• Size: 29 x 21cm
• Medium: Paper
• Catalogue: 02/07p-67-100

Munga Jukurrpa (Night Sky Dreaming)

The specific area depicted in this painting is Yanjilypiri. Yanjirlpiri,literally meaning a star, is the name of a group of hills west of Yuendumu, the country referred to in this painting. Yanjilpiri is associated with the initiation ceremonies of Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men. From Yanjilpiri the men travelled west as far as Lapilapi on the edge of Warlpiri country. During the initiaion ceremonies men danced with spears and with the foliage of River Red Gums bound to their legs by Ngalyipi (snake vine). These are known as witi and are represented in this work by long straight lines. The stars underneath which the intitiates dance are shown as white circles.The Dreaming belongs to Japaljarri /Jungarrayi moiety.

Biography

Paddy Japaljarri Sims was born in about 1917 at Kunajarray (Mt Nicker), south-west of Yuendumu at a site where a number of Dreaming tracks interconnect. He died in 2010 in Yuendumu. He left behind his wife Bessie Nakamarra, his seven children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Paddy sometimes worked in collaboration with his wife, who was an acclaimed artist in her own right. His wife lived in Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community 290 km north-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. She died in 2012. Paddy lived in his country as a young, single man. Back then Warlpiri people wore hair string belts that they had made. When Japaljarri was young he worked sawing mulga trees for wood and for fuel for fires. Later Paddy became involved with gardening and farming in the Yuendumu district. This included growing watermelons, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and other vegetables. The farming was at Four Mile Bore where they had chickens, pigs, ducks and other animals. All his life he hunted for goanna, kangaroo, emu and other animals each day for bush tucker and Paddy passed on his hunting knowledge to many young men in the community. This also led him to working at the Yuendumu school teaching Jukurrpa (Dreaming), painting, hunting, traditional dancing, bush tucker and helping out on excursions ‘out bush’ as well as to Alice Spring and Darwin. Paddy Painted with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre, for a long time. In 1988 Paddy Sims was selected by The Power Gallery, Sydney University to travel to Paris with five other Warlpiri men from Yuendumu to create a ground painting installation at the exhibition ‘Magiciens de la Terre’ at the Centre Georges Pompidou. The trip took place in May 1989 and the painting was received with world-wide acclaim. Paddy was also one of the senior male artists who worked on the Yuendumu Doors. In 2000 Paddy Japaljarri Stewart undertook to produce 30 etchings of the original Yuendumu Doors in collaboration with Paddy Japaljarri Sims and under the guidance of Basil Hall, Northern Editions Printmaker (Northern Territory University). The first print of the etchings was all on one page and had its debut alongside the Yuendumu Doors when they were exhibited in Alice Springs. The etchings in a set were launched in 2001, to great acclaim with the set winning the Telstra, 16th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, for works on paper. Paddy has painted and exhibited regularly with Warlukurlangu Artists both nationally and internationally since 1985. Japaljarri’s Jukurrpa stories or Dreamings include Yiwarra (Milky Way), Ngarlkirdi/Warna (witchetty grub/snake), Warlu Kukurrpa (fire), and Yanjirlpirri (star). In his early work he often chose to work in tones of blue, pink and purple but later used traditional iconography and an unrestricted palette to develop a modern individualist style to depict his traditional Jukurrpa. His work has been included in numerous general exhibitions of Aboriginal art including Dreaming: The Art of Aboriginal Australia, The Asia Society Galleries, New York, 1988; The Continuing Tradition, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1989; Mythscapes: Aboriginal Art of the Desert, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1989; Lete Australian Montpellier, Musee Fabre, France, 1990.

Limited Edition Print

• Artist: Steven Jupurrurla Nelson
• Title: Brush Tail Possum Dreaming
• Size: 21 x 29.5cm
• Catalogue: 4515p/17-1-10

Janganpa Jukurrpa (Brush-tail Possum Dreaming)- Mawurrji

Janganpa Jukurrpa (common brush-tail possum [Trichosurus vulpecula] Dreaming) travels all over Warlpiri country. ‘Janganpa’ are nocturnal animals that often nest in the hollows of white gum trees (‘wapunungka’). This story comes from a big hill called Mawurrji, west of Yuendumu and north of Pikilyi (Vaughan Springs). A group of ‘janganpa’ ancestors resided there. Every night they would go out in search of food. Their hunting trips took them to Wirlki and Wanapirdi, where they found ‘pamapardu’ (flying ants). They journeyed on to Ngarlkirdipini looking for water. A Nampijinpa women was living at Mawurrji with her two daughters. She gave her daughters in marriage to a Jupurrurla ‘janganpa’ but later decided to run away with them. The Jupurrurla angrily pursued the woman. He tracked them to Mawurrji where he killed them with a stone axe. Their bodies are now rocks at this place. Warlpiri people perform a young men’s initiation ceremony, which involves the Janganpa Jukurrpa. The Janganpa Jukurrpa belongs to Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men and Nakamarra/Napurrurla women. In Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent this Jukurrpa. ‘Janganpa’ tracks are often represented as ‘E’ shaped figures and concentric circles are used to depict the trees in which the ‘janganpa’ live, and also the sites at Mawurrji.

Biography

Steven Jupurrurla Nelson was born 30 August 1978 in Alice Springs, NT. He is a lifelong resident of Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Alice Springs on the Tanami road. He was raised by his late mother, Nora Nungarrayi Jurrah, and his stepfather, Frankie Jakamarra Nelson. His father John Jampijjinpa Brown. he was a resident of Papunya.  Steven has two siblings from the same mother different father, his brother Greg Jupurrurla Wood who lives in Uluru he is a ranger,  Roslyn Napurrurla Gibson (deceased). 

Steven began painting at Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in late 2014 after working at the art centre for some time. He typically paints ‘janganpa Jukurrpa’ (brush-tail possum Dreaming) from his mother’s side. His country is located near Nyirrpi, another remote Aboriginal community approximately 170 kilometers west of Yuendumu. His mother’s and grandfather’s country is also in this area. His mother’s country includes the Nginyirrpalangu outstation. His grandfather, Banjo Patterson, owned country that includes Ngarupalya.

Steven enjoys the work and process of painting at Warlukurlangu. When he is not painting, he likes to relax at home, walk around the community with his dog Xena, and go hunting for kangaroos.

• Artist: Jane Margaret Tipuamantumirri
• Title: Jikipayinga Pitipita Jilamara (Crocodile Belly Design)
• Art Centre: Ngaruwanajirri, Tiwi Islands
• Size: 12.5 x 35.5cm
• Medium: Stringbark with Ochre Pigments with PVA fixative
• Year born: 1968
• Skin Group: Mullet
  
• Dance: Shark 

Ngaruwanajirri means “Helping one another”

This Centre began in 1994 with funding for the support of Tiwi with a disability and the core attendants today are disability artists. They have each developed exceptional creative skill. Sometimes referred to as free, loose, naive, or Outsider art, the work of Ngaruwanajirri artists is unique. A separate group of able-bodied Tiwi carvers work alongside this core group in a purpose-built space adjacent to the Keeping Place creating both large and small carvings.

• Artist:  Alexandrina Kantilla
• Title: Minga
• Art Centre: Ngaruwanajirri, Tiwi Islands
• Size: 23.5 x 4.5cm
• Medium: Stringbark with Ochre Pigments with PVA fixative
• Year born: 1974
• Skin Group: Pig
  
• Dance: March Fly

Ngaruwanajirri means “Helping one another”

This Centre began in 1994 with funding for the support of Tiwi with a disability and the core attendants today are disability artists. They have each developed exceptional creative skill. Sometimes referred to as free, loose, naive, or Outsider art, the work of Ngaruwanajirri artists is unique. A separate group of able-bodied Tiwi carvers work alongside this core group in a purpose-built space adjacent to the Keeping Place creating both large and small carvings.

• Artist:  Alexandrina Kantilla
• Title: Minga Jilamara - Body paint Design
• Art Centre: Ngaruwanajirri, Tiwi Islands
• Size: 32 x 9cm
• Medium: Stringbark with Ochre Pigments with PVA fixative
• Year born: 1974
• Skin Group: Pig
  
• Dance: March Fly

Ngaruwanajirri means “Helping one another”

This Centre began in 1994 with funding for the support of Tiwi with a disability and the core attendants today are disability artists. They have each developed exceptional creative skill. Sometimes referred to as free, loose, naive, or Outsider art, the work of Ngaruwanajirri artists is unique. A separate group of able-bodied Tiwi carvers work alongside this core group in a purpose-built space adjacent to the Keeping Place creating both large and small carvings.

• Artist:  Ken Wayne Kantilla
• Title: Yirripuwata Jilamara (High Tide Design)
• Art Centre: Ngaruwanajirri, Tiwi Islands
• Size: 39 x 8cm
• Medium: Stringbark with Ochre Pigments with PVA fixative
• Year born: 1967
• Skin Group: Sun
  
• Dance: Pig

Ngaruwanajirri means “Helping one another”

This Centre began in 1994 with funding for the support of Tiwi with a disability and the core attendants today are disability artists. They have each developed exceptional creative skill. Sometimes referred to as free, loose, naive, or Outsider art, the work of Ngaruwanajirri artists is unique. A separate group of able-bodied Tiwi carvers work alongside this core group in a purpose-built space adjacent to the Keeping Place creating both large and small carvings.

Ken Wayne Kantilla works at Ngaruwanajirri Art Centre and is the current Chairman. He produces delicately executed works on paper with painstaking skill as well as paintings on canvas, ironwood carvings, and natural ochres on shells. In the 1980s Ken Wayne lived for two years in Victoria, attending St Bede`s College, Mentone. Ken has been included in major Ngaruwanajirri exhibitions since 1996, including Pupini Yinkiti Arimuwu Kapi Winga, Good Food, Sea Food, an ArtBack Nets Travelling Exhibition, 2000 - 2004.

Ken Wayne has a keen interest in Australian rules football, due to the success of his father David Kantilla, a South Australian player in the 1960s. His extreme patience is reflected in the painstakingly careful geometry of his paintings. He is regularly shown in the annual Darwin Ngaruwanajirri Exhibition at the time of the Darwin Festival and in Tarnathi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, Art Gallery of South Australia.

Ken Wayne's artwork is characterized by his exceptional skill of painting straight lines by hand. These lines create a rippled rhythm within his paintings often accentuated by depictions of daily Tiwi life including animals and cultural objects. Although his lines are robotically precise, the slight irregularity in his initial drawing reveals the unaided touch of his work.

Ken's unique style is enhanced by his exclusive use of natural Tiwi ochres. His meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication to his craft has earned him a well-deserved reputation as a skilled and respected artist in the community. Ken's artwork has been showcased in galleries and exhibitions across Australia