Tjungkara Ken

Tjungkara Ken
Born (1969-10-01) 1 October 1969 (age 55)
near Amata, South Australia
NationalityAustralian
OccupationPainter
Years active2008 – present
OrganizationTjala Arts
StyleWestern Desert art
Parent(s)Mick Wikilyiri (father)
Paniny Mick (mother)

Tjungkara Ken (born 1 October 1969) is a Pitjantjatjara artist from Amata, South Australia,[1] in the APY lands. She began painting in 1997,[1] when Minymaku Arts was opened by the women of Amaṯa.[2] She started painting professionally in 2008.[1] By that time, the artists' co-operative had been renamed Tjala Arts.[2]

Themes

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Ken's paintings depict stories and figures from her personal Tjukurpa (Dreaming), the spirituality that is associated with her ancestor's homeland. Her father is from the country around Amaṯa and Walitjara, and Ken most often depicts this country and its Tjukurpa in her paintings. She also illustrates her mother's country, which is further west, near Irrunytju in Western Australia.[1]

Exhibitions and awards

[edit]

Ken's paintings have been featured in group exhibitions in many of Australia's major cities. Some of her work was also part of an exhibition in Graz, Austria in 2002.[1][3] One of her paintings, titled Ngayuku ngura – My Country, was chosen as a finalist for the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 2010.[3][4] It was bought by a private collector.[5]

A painting depicting the Kungkarungkara (Seven Sisters Dreaming), was chosen by the Art Gallery of South Australia as the prize for a competition run during the Gallery's Desert Country exhibition in 2011.[6] Ken's painting from the Art Gallery of South Australia's permanent collection was also included in the exhibition and featured on the cover of the Desert Country catalogue. The exhibition featured works by several artists from across the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands, including Maringka Baker, Nura Rupert and Jimmy Baker.[7][8]

Examples of Ken's work are shown in the National Gallery of Victoria,[9] the Art Gallery of South Australia,[10] the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art,[3][11] and the National Gallery of Australia.[12] It is also held in several major private galleries in Australia.[1][3]

She was an Archibald Prize finalist in 2017, with her Kungkarangkalpa tjukurpa (Seven Sisters dreaming), a self-portrait.[13] She was awarded the Roberts Family Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Prize for Seven Sisters, her entry in the 2021 Wynne Prize.[14]

[edit]

There are many other artists in Ken's extended family, working out of Tjala Arts. When working with her four sisters—Yaritji Young, Freda Brady, Sandra Ken and Maringka Tunkin—the group is known as the Ken Sisters.[15][16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Tregenza, Elizabeth, ed. (2010). Tjukurpa Pulkatjara: The Power of the Law (Exhibition catalog). Produced by Ananguku Arts and Culture Aboriginal Corporation. Kent Town, S.A.: Wakefield Press. p. 66. ISBN 9781862548909. OCLC 610710607 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b Kohen, Apolline (31 March 2011). "The Stories of the Elders". Australian Art Review. Australian Art & Leisure Media Pty Ltd. ISSN 1447-8587. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d "Details of Tjungkara Ken". Short Street Gallery. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  4. ^ "27 Telstra national Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander art award - List of Works" (PDF). Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory - National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Northern Territory Government information and services. 2010. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012. 75 Tjungkara Ken, Ngayuku ngura – My Country, Synthetic polymer paint on linen
  5. ^ Boland, Michaela (20 April 2012). "Storage laws force collectors to soft-sell". The Australian. ProQuest 1002604977. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Desert Country competition winner". Art Gallery of South Australia. February 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  7. ^ "DesArt News: Art Gallery of South Australia, Until 26 January 2011". DesArt. Association of Central Australian Aboriginal Art & Craft Centres. 2010. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  8. ^ Walker, Wendy (19 November 2010). "Joining the dots on desert movement". The Australian. ProQuest 808073650. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013.
  9. ^ "Artist: Tjungkara Ken". National Gallery of Victoria. Archived from the original on 15 October 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Exhibitions: Desert Country: Art Gallery of South Australia travelling exhibition". Newcastle Art Gallery. 2012. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Exhibitions: Amata painters". Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art. 2012. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  12. ^ "Collection Search: Ken, Tjungkara". National Gallery of Australia. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes - Archibald - Past works and winners - 2017: Tjungkara Ken - Kungkarangkalpa tjukurpa (Seven Sisters dreaming), a self-portrait". Art Gallery of New South Wales. 2017. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  14. ^ Knowles, Rachael (15 June 2021). "Story of the stars shines the brightest". National Indigenous Times. Archived from the original on 16 October 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Our Art Centre". Tjala Arts. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2020. Established in 1999, Tjala Arts has launched the careers of artists including....and the five Ken Sisters - Yaritji Young, Freda Brady, Sandra Ken, Maringka Tunkin and Tjungkara Ken - who won the prestigious Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW in 2016.
  16. ^ Bearup, Greg (10 April 2023). "Aboriginal artist Tjungkara Ken claims long story of interference". The Australian. ProQuest 2798385875. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
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