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Ngaanyatjarra Regional
Arts
Irrunytju Arts  Kayili Artists Papulankutja Artists Warburton Arts Project
Irrunytju
Arts
Irrunytju Arts is located at Irrunytju Community (Wingellina) Western
Australia, 12 kms south west of Surveyor Generals Corner, the junction
of the W.A., S.A. and N.T. borders. Alice Springs is the closest town
720kms northeast, while Kalgoorlie, the closest regional centre in Western
Australia, lies 1100kms south-west. The Aboriginal lifestyle in this
area is rich with ceremonies and traditional observances. There are
two major language groups, Pitjantjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra, as the
community settlement is located at the border of the two groups’
traditional land.
Art Centre
Story
Irrunytju Arts began as a response to community needs for an arts and
cultural centre in 2001. Remote community art centres play a vital role
in the recognition, protection and appropriate promotion of Indigenous
cultural heritage and visual art. The community was unsuccessful in
securing government funds to establish the centre, so the women decided
to try and do it alone. The community council supported the project
and decided to pay the wage for an arts coordinator from the community’s
enterprise account (monies generated from visitors quarters accommodation,
aeroplane fuel sales etc.). This wage used most of this account and
did not cover art materials or running costs. The women thought they
could raise funds to buy paints, canvas and other materials for the
art centre by starting a second-hand shop. They renovated a spare room
in the community hall, collecting most of the building materials from
the local dump, and began trading. With the kind support of St. Vincent
De Paul, Balnarring Primary School, L”Occassile, Quaker Shop and
others who donate clothing to the shop, it has been a huge success.
Profits from this along with other enterprises; sale of bush medicine,
dyed raffia, and basket sales have enabled Irrunytju to have an Arts
Centre.
All the senior members of Irrunytju Community lived a traditional life,
travelling in small family groups in the heart of the Western Desert.
A dynamic landscape, which sustained Anangu both spiritually and physically.
"Whitefellas" came to this country relatively recently, well
within memory of many Anangu. It was with the assimilation policy of
the mission era combined with the terrible years of drought that many
desert people migrated to the mission settlements; to the east at Ernabella
in South Australia and to the west at Warburton in Western Australia.
The desire to return to country was critically important to community
elders during the 60's when a small group of miners set up camp at Irrunytju
establishing a chrysoprase mine. The custodians returned to "take
care of country". The community of Irrunytju was constructed on
this site, becoming incorporated in 1976.
Today there are about 180 people living at Irrunytju. In a few decades
traditional knowledge and cultural values have been subtly interwoven
with western culture. However the senior artists of Irrunytju have powerful
spiritual links to the desert, which are associated with the Tjukurpa
(law or dreaming tracks), based on a network of traditional journeys
their ancestors travelled as "country" was forged. Each painting
depicts a fragment of a larger story, a living history where an ancestor
was involved in creating country. These stories and associated sites
are owned by individuals, the custodians, who today continue to care
and manage the land as they have since creation.
It is the community’s aspiration to collect works of cultural
significance for the "Irrunytju Cultural Heritage Collection".
The project is intended to promote traditional arts practices while
also encouraging new forms of artistic expression in the retelling of
Tjukurpa (Dreaming Stories). These are living stories that have been
the inspiration for some of the most exciting contemporary artwork in
Australia. It is envisaged that the Irrunytju Cultural Heritage project
will complement the more commercial arm of the art centre activities.
Irrunytju Arts aims to maintain and develop the traditional cultural
life and language in a way that promotes continuity, cohesion and self-respect
as Anangu face the challenges of the modern age.
The response to the fine art works by the Australian and International
community has been astounding. Works from the Irrunytju Artists are
in high demand and are held in many private and public collections.
Achievements
- Irrunytju Second
Hand Shop. This shop was established by and for Anangu in 2000. The
shop is fully owned and operated by Anangu women with minimal banking
support from the arts coordinator. Profits from this enterprise initially
provided funds for the art centre including art materials and stationary.
These funds are now used for fuel and running costs on a Toyota in
Irrunytju (currently provided NPY Women’s Council Tjanpi project
in a collaborative partnership) to facilitate trips to country for
the artists.
- Minyma Pampa
Tjutaku Tjukurpa (Stories from the Old Women). This was the first
exhibition of canvas paintings by the senior women artists of Irrunytju.
The exhibition was held at Artplace gallery in Perth Nov. 2001. Five
artists travelled to Perth for the opening. The exhibition was an
enormous success; all paintings were sold with six purchased for public
collections; four for the Art Gallery of W.A. and two by the City
of Joondalup. (Works can be viewed on the internet at www.artplace.com.au)
- Nganampa Tjukurpa
Kunpu. Nganampa Tjukurpa Mulapa (Our Stories are Strong. Our Stories
are True). This was the second exhibition for the senior women artists
of Irrunytju held at Vivien Anderson Gallery in Melbourne 2002. Three
artists travelled to Melbourne for the opening. Works were purchased
by the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Gallery of Australia
and the Queensland Art Gallery amongst private collectors.
- International
Women’s Day Exhibition. This exhibition was held at the Vivien
Anderson Gallery in Melbourne in 2002. Work from three Irrunytju artists
stood strongly amongst the work from established artists ( from Balgo
and previous winners of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Art Award).
- Boundless. A
collaborative exhibition organized by the Art gallery of W.A and Country
Arts W.A. This exhibition showcased a number of artists selected throughout
regional and remote W.A. Two artists from Irrunytju were selected
to participate.
- Wati Tjilpiku
Tjukurpa (Senior men’s stories). This was the first exhibition
of the senior men held at Aboriginal and Pacific Gallery, Sydney 2002.
The exhibition was a huge success and was a sellout show. Works were
collected by the National Gallery of Victoria and private collectors.
Five paintings were commissioned by the National Gallery of Australia.
- Desert Mob Show.
Araluen Centre, Alice Springs 2002. Two works were acquired for the
Araluen collection from Irrunytju artists.
- The 19th Telstra
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Darwin 2002.
Four artists from Irrunytju were selected to participate. All works
were sold at the opening.
- Bindi and the
Bush. Araluen Centre, Alice Springs. 2002. This was a collaborative
exhibition between the Bindi Centre and NPY Women’s Council.
The exhibition was to promote the work and encourage employment options
for artists with disabilities. Three artists from Irrunytju participated
in the exhibition.
- Minyma Pampaku
Tjukurpa Kunpu Kanyintjaka (Women’s Culture – Standing
Strong). Artplace, Perth 2003. This was an exhibition of 53 works.
The majority of works were sold at the opening. (Works can be viewed
on the internet at www.artplace.com.au)
- Irrunytju Cultural
Heritage Project. $30,000.00 funding was secured for the establishment
of this project from ArtsWA, Country Arts W.A. and the Australia Council.)
An additional $10,000.00 was secured from Acclaim exploration company.
- CDEP projects.
Irrunytju Arts provides regular CDEP work for women in the community.
Producing work
for sale: Bush Medicine (irmangka-irmangka), Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles,
Dyed raffia for basket making.
Producing work for the community: Punu (decorative burnt wood) counters
and frames for the community office redevelopment, renovation to the
community church including production of seating with traditional
burnings, the recording and translation of tjukurpa / cultural heritage
documentation.
For more information
please contact Fiona Haasz, Irrunytju Arts on arts@irrunytju.com.au.
Artplace
24 Church Street, Perth
Western Australia 6000
Phone 08 9228 3566
Fax 08 9228 3577
Email: artplace@iinet.net.au
Web Address: www.artplace.com.au
Vivien Anderson Gallery
470 Dandenong Rd.
Caulfield North
Victoria 3161
Phone 03 9509 0255
Fax 03 9509 3138
Email: vivien@comcen.com.au
Web Address: www.vivienandersongallery.com
Aboriginal & Pacific Arts
8th Floor. Dymocks Building
428 George St. Sydney
New South Wales 2000
Phone 02 9223 5900
Fax 02 9223 5959
Email: gabriellaroy@bigpond.com
Marshall
Arts Aboriginal Fine Art Gallery
1A Park Street
MITCHUM SA 5062
Phone: 08 83730769
Fax: 08 83730762
Email: info@marshallart.com.au
Web: www.marshallart.com.au
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