Josina Pumani
Josina Pumani — 'Clay Kin III', 2025
Clay Kin brings together seven dynamic artists in a landmark collaboration between the APY Art Centre Collective (APYACC) and Craft Victoria. This exhibition celebrated the expansion of APYACC artists into contemporary ceramics, offering Melbourne audiences a rare glimpse into the evolving material practices of First Nations makers.
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Josina Nyarpingku Pumani
Community: Mimili, SA. Language: Pitjantjatjara
Josina is a young Pitjantjatjara woman, who was born in Mimili. Her mother, the late Ngupulya Pumani and her grandmother Kunmanara (Milatjari) Pumani were two of the founders of Mimili Maku Arts. Both women taught Josina much about cultural leadership, but also about the strong connection with their country of Antara (Maku / witchetty grub Tjukurpa). Josina’s father is Shannon Kantji, a senior Yankunytjatjara leader. Josina began painting in 2009, and soon after became an arts worker at Mimili Maku Arts.
Josina's artworks reflect the style and stories she learnt from generations of women in her family. Josina began her ceramics practice in early 2024 and is one of the rising stars working in the APY Art Centre Collective studio. She is also a member of the Blak Manta ceramics collective.
Josina's ceramics tell the Maralinga story. Maralinga was the site of British nuclear tests in the mid-1950s that covered an area of 3,300 square kilometres across the remote north of South Australia. The effects of Maralinga were severe and have had lasting impacts on the Anangu people whose lives, lands and livelihood were destroyed. “Maralinga hurt our lands and people and our story needs to be told,” said Josina.
Josina hand builds her pots. The red represents the fires the bombs caused, and the grey represents the smoke. The texture and detail on the exterior of her pot conveys story of the smoke and how it travelled and stretched across the APY Lands.
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APY Art Centre Collective x Craft
June 19 – July 26
Clay Kin is a testament to the strength of kinship, culture and creative innovation. It marks a significant moment in contemporary Australian ceramics, where ancestral knowledge meets new forms, and where clay becomes a vessel for both tradition and transformation.
Artists in this exhibition represent many communities and art centres which are at the heart of the APY Lands. Founded in 2017, the APY Art Centre Collective is an initiative that provides support, resources, and opportunities for First Nations artists from the APY Lands and beyond. Through exhibitions, workshops, and cultural exchanges, the collective aims to promote Indigenous voices, foster cross-cultural understanding, and generate economic opportunities for Aboriginal communities.
Tiarnie Edwards / Yatitji Heffernan / Jennifer Ingkatji / Josina Pumani / Debra Umala / LeShaye Swan / Tjimpuna Williams
Read more about the exhibition here:
Material: Clay sculptural vessel
Dimensions: 51 x 35 x 35cm
Cat. no: 264-25AS
Please note when purchasing, exhibition works are to be collected when exhibition closes.
Shipping costs may be estimates. Please feel free to contact shop@craft.org.au who will be available to provide an Art Courier quote or shipping costs for larger items.