Tjukurrpa Puntu Nganana Palyani - We Are Making Strong Stories

The ReDot gallery is proud to welcome back the beautiful works of Australia’s foremost Aboriginal art community, Papunya Tula Artists Pty Ltd, in what will be the 6th showing in Singapore of the stunning works of the desert masters.

Papunya, a settlement located 240 northwest of Alice Springs, in Australia’s Northern Territory, is considered the birthplace of the contemporary aboriginal art movement. In 1971 school teacher Geoffrey Bardon encouraged some of the men to paint a blank school wall. The murals sparked off tremendous interest in the community and soon many men started painting.

In 1972 the artists successfully established their own company, entirely owned and directed by traditional Aboriginal people from the Western Desert, predominantly of the Luritja/Pintupi language groups. It currently has 49 shareholders and represents around 120 artists living in the communities of Kintore and Kiwirrkura.

The Papunya Tula painting style derives directly from the artists’ knowledge of traditional body and sand painting associated with ceremony. The initial designs were very simple and iconographic but they soon became more complex and today they are highly regarded, being the most collectable group of artists in contemporary Australian art.

Hot on the heels of the majestic ‘Icons of the Desert’ exhibition in NY, which showcased some of the most significant early Papunya boards, we are very proud to have on show some of the most important recent works from this seminal art community.

In this exhibition works by ALL 8 of this year’s Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award finalists from Papunya Tula are on show: Doreen Nakamarra Reid (High Commended 2009 and General Painting winner 2008), Makinti Napanagka (2008 Winner), Yinarupa Nangala (General Painting winner 2009), Walangkura Napanangka, Nyilyari Napangati, Warlimpirringa Tjapaltjarri, George Tjungurrayi and Yulkultji Napangati. Other heavy-weights will also be on show in this collection of over 30 works in what has become the ReDot Gallery seminal annual show.

The exhibition opens on Wednesday 11th November and runs till Saturday 19th December 2009 and it is a must see for anyone interested in following the “songlines” of one of the art movements most important centers.

The show will be opened by Mr. Paul Sweeney, Art Centre Manager for the Papunya Tula Artists on Wednesday 11th November 2009. The exhibition runs till Saturday 19th December 2009.