Partnering with remote Indigenous Art Centres to deliver a landmark digital project that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to create and share unique arts and cultural experiences with the world.
Partnering with remote Indigenous Art Centres to deliver a landmark digital project that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to create and share unique arts and cultural experiences with the world.
Ikuntji Artists is located in Haasts Bluff and was the first art centre established by women in the Western Desert Art Movement in 1992. Today Ikuntji Artists are represented in many national and international galleries and institutions. Their art is famous for bold colour choice, decisive brush strokes and a long legacy of internationally renowned artists.
8 Marks St, Haasts Bluff NT 0872
Region: Kungkayunti
Alison was born in Alice Springs in Central Australia and moved with her mother back to her country near Haasts Bluff. Her ngurra (country) is 120 km west of Ikuntji called Kungkayunti (Brown’s Bore). The country is full of sandhills and majestic desert oaks through which the wild camels roam. Her artworks depict the Tjukurrpa stories connected to her country: Pintirri Mungangka and Hairstring. Alison has travelled to Singapore and Korea with her art. She has visited museums across Australia and presented at conferences about the continuing traditions of art-making in Ikuntji.
Born: 1975
Region: Kungkayunti
Lisa Multa is the younger sister to Traditional Owner and lawman Douglas Multa, acclaimed artist Alison Multa and painter Patricia Multa. Lisa grew up with her family at Kungkayunti (Brown’s Bore), an outstation southwest of Haasts Bluff. In 2007, Lisa saw her two older sisters painting at Ikuntji Artists and began painting herself. Although the sisters sometimes paint together, Lisa says when she paints, she likes to think of her own connection to country, focusing on a birds-eye view of the tali tali (sandhills) at Kungkayunti, which she expresses in a variety of colours and on the women dancing at Kungkayunti. Lisa successfully completed a Certificate I in Visual Arts at Batchelor Institute in 2018, where she studied and practiced fabric design, screen printing and visual design.
Born: 1980
Region: Willowra
Roseranna Larry is the oldest daughter of painter Susie Lane, a Luritja woman from Haasts Bluff. Her father, Roy Wara Larry, was an important lawman, working with local Aboriginal people and non-Indigenous people. She grew up in Haasts Bluff, though she often travelled to Willowra and Mt Deniston to visit family. On visits to Willowra, Roseranna would watch her grandmother, Old Lady Morton (her father’s auntie), paint. Old Lady Morton taught Roseranna to paint and passed down the Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) she continues to paint today. Her other grandmother, Esther Napaltjarri Jugadai, a Luritja woman, also taught her about painting and how to collect the native ininti seeds that are used for ceremonies. Esther was the founder for Ikuntji Artists. Roseranna is proud to follow in her footsteps and is now Chairperson of Ikuntji Artists.
Born: 1947
Region: Ikuntji
Leonie was born in the bush at Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff) in 1947. Her mother was Malyungka Nangala and her father was Kamutu Tjungarrayai. Her mother said she was from Tjukurla in WA. Leonie is the younger sister of Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra’s first wife, Susette. Leonie’s Dreaming is Kanparraka or centipede. Her father’s dreaming was Mala (wallaby) and the country at Tjunginpa. Nyuman was her father’s and grandfather’s place, which is the place for the Dog Dreaming and the orange lizard Dreaming (Lingakurra).
Born: 1978
Region: Kaarkurutinytja
Keturah is the youngest daughter of Molly Napaltjarri Jugadai and Smithy Zimran. Coming from a lineage of established artists, Keturah began painting seriously in 2005. Developing her own distinctive and bold style, she is fast becoming renowned both nationally and internationally. Most notably, her work is now a part of the Parliament House Collection and has been a finalist in numerous art awards including the 2019 Vincent Lingiari Award. Keturah paints the sand hills her mother also painted and the rocks she paints are her own story. In 2022, she received the Medal of the Australian Order for her services to community arts.
Born: 1960
Region: Nyuman
Pam was taught to paint by her uncle Cameron Tjapaltjarri who was an acclaimed Papunya Tula Artist and by her aunt Leonie Kamutu, who still paints for Papunya Tjupi artist. Pam used to be a Health Worker in Kintore when she had a young family. She now lives and paints in Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff) and is one of Ikuntji Artists rising stars. Her beautiful diamond-shaped paintings are Papa Tjukurrpa – Dog Dreaming. It is of Niyuman, east of Kintore and it is secret men’s business. This was her father’s Tjukurrpa. Pam is a director of Ikuntji Artists and has represented the art centre on several occasions.
Born: 1970
Region: Wilkinkarra
Zakius Jack is the son of Ikuntji Artists’ founding member Eunice Napanangka Jack and Gideon Tjupurrula Jack. Zakius began painting at Ikuntji Artists mid-2008 and is the only of his siblings that continues to paint today. His father, Gideon taught him to paint on canvas from the age of twenty. He paints Wilkinkarra – Lake Mackay, the country and Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) of his father and grandfather. Zakius employs traditionally simple and effective style in his work, having attracted attention from visitors and commercial galleries alike. Zakius has featured in a number of exhibitions and is represented in galleries in Australia and France.
Born: 1979
Region: Kaarkurutinytja
Daphne was passed down the right to paint the Yalka Tjukurrpa at Karrkurutinytja (Bush onion dreaming at Lake Macdonald) from her grandmother Narputta. Narputta was born close to this sight, she also painted this story. Daphne has been involved with Ikuntji Artists since it was first opened in 1992. When she started she was one of the youngest artists to work at Ikuntji Art Centre. Daphne has an eye for detail and paints meticulous translations of the Yalka Tjukurrpa (bush onion dreaming). Her work becomes particularly vibrant after the rains when the newly emerged plants dominate her paintings. Her works have been shown nationally and internationally.
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UPLANDS is an immersive digital project that has been designed to celebrate Indigenous Art Centres and share Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artistic and cultural practices with the world.
This large scale immersive digital mapping project features over twenty remote Indigenous Art Centres, and interviews with over 150 Indigenous artists and arts workers from across the country.
UPLANDS is a project by Agency and has been funded by the Australian Government through the Restart to Invest, Sustain and Expand (RISE) program and the Indigenous Visual Art Industry Support (IVAIS) program.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Sovereign Custodians of the land on which we live and work. We extend our respects to their Ancestors and all First Nations peoples and Elders past, present, and future.
