ReDot Fine Art Gallery is extremely honoured to host a tightly-curated show of desert gems from one of the youngest, most vibrant and recently established art centres, Papunya Tjupi Arts.

Papunya Tjupi Arts is an Indigenous-owned and directed Art Centre based in Papunya, the birthplace of the Western Desert art movement, 240km north-east of Alice Springs, in the Northern Territory. Originally, it was home to the local Luritja, Pintupi and Anmatyerre tribes. However, during the 1980’s, artistic focus shifted elsewhere as the homeland movement saw the Pintupi tribes move further west with the creation of Kintore and Kiwirrkurra townships.

Papunya Tjupi Arts relaunched in 2007, and despite economically challenging times since then, the art centre project has been a resounding success, injecting much needed community focus and revenue to one of the poorest parts of Northern Australia.

This show features a dynamic collection of works from predominantly female Indigenous artists. Their work is based upon strong local heritage, which invigorates and re-energises viewers. It is effervescent, bursting with vital dramatic energy, and pure. Due to the isolation of this community and the fact that English is at best the 3rd or 4th language for many of these artists, significant cultural integrity is retained in their art.

Papunya is still home to renowned senior artists and remains a strong base for traditional culture with a regular men’s ceremony held in January and women’s ceremony held in the middle of the year. The art centre is named after the main Tjukurrpa or Dreaming of the Tjupi or Honey Ant with three local hills, collectively known as Warumpi Hill, in the shape of a honey ant.

Nampatjunanyi (Paint and Draw), consisting of more than 15 works, focuses on the surging talents of a core group of women who have created the backbone of new art centre. Recent jewels by Candy Nelson Nakamarra enthral us with their complexity and mesmerising iconography, whilst Martha McDonald Napaltjarri’s work hints at the strong historical ties to the men’s work that emanated from the Papunya Tula movement of the early 1970’s. Interspersed between these two dynamic women are many other surprises as this strong group of ladies’ rebuke and refuse economic challenges and deliver stunning, affordable and highly sought after work for the discerning public and collector to appreciate.

The exhibition begins on Wednesday 16 November and runs until Saturday 31 December 2016, with an official opening night on Thursday 1 December 2016. A must-see show for anyone interested in following the recent developments in Indigenous Art and for those wondering what to buy that loved one for Christmas, a fantastic opportunity to acquire some of the most beautiful desert art being produced today in Australia.