NDSP Celebrates the Work of WA Indigenous Artists

NDSP Plan Managers honours and celebrates the creativity of Indigenous communities in Western Australia as we house three magnificent paintings by local artists in our Mirrabooka office.

Here are the stories behind each artwork:

ARTIST: Elaine Warnatjura Lane | ARTWORK: Wat Kutjarra

About the artwork: This is the story of two men who have traveled from Perth across the desert through Blackstone to Docker River. The two men are believed to be powerful magicians. They’ve often punished or killed wrongdoers. But sometimes, they go too far and have been cruel in exercising their powers.

To amuse themselves, they sometimes play as tricksters. They usually take the form of goanna, but they can turn into other animals as well. At Blackstone, they’ve tricked each other when they both have changed their appearance at the same. This is the meaning of the word Papulankutja (i.e. they can’t recognize each other), which is also the Indigenous name for the Blackstone community.

When they have reached the Docker River, they’ve become so arrogant that they’ve walked straight into some local men’s business even though they’ve been warned not to. The Docker River men have eventually killed them.

ARTIST: Rosie Lane | ARTWORK: Kapi Tjukurla (Tjukurla Rock holes)

About the artwork: Kapi Tjukurla is a sacred women’s site where the sisters come to drink water from the rock hole.

Knowledge of where to find Kapi Tjukurla has been handed down through generations as it is a significant water source in times of drought.

Kapis vary in size — from as large as a car to as small as a deep kitchen sink. They can be found buried in the flat rock surface on the ground, at the bottom of a waterfall or among the ranges where there is an expanse of flat rock surface. Yarnangu has kept these rock holes clear of dirt build-up, dead animals and debris so that the water can remain drinkable.

These rock holes are still only used specifically for drinking and cooking.

The circles in the painting represent Kapi Tjukurla. The lines connecting the circles are the creeks, streams or paths the water takes when it rains.

ARTIST: Craig Morrison | ARTWORK: The Ngaanyatjarra Lands

About the artwork: Craig is predominantly a landscape artist depicting vibrant scenes from across the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. He is a self taught landscape painter taking inspiration from the Hermannsburg movement.

Craig’s paintings are a celebration of the seasonal changes which showcases vast site of sandhills and hills in the summer and lush foliage coming into spring. He enjoys exploring the lands, studying the elements of his environment with close detail. He is a great role model for younger male artists in the community.

All these artworks have been purchased from Papulankutja Artists.

Papulankutja Artists is an Aboriginal-owned and directed corporation that represents artists from Papulankutja (Blackstone) and Mantamaru (Jameson) communities in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, Western Australia. For more information about Papulankutja, visit papulankutja.com.au.