Ninuku Arts, Mr Donegan
Ninuku Arts (Mr Donegan) — Wati Kutjara Wanampi Painting
Mr Donegan paints the Tjukurpa (Dreaming story) from an important site known as Pukara, south-west of Irrunytju (Wingellina community) in Western Australia. It is a story of Wati Kutjara Wanampi (two male water serpents) - a father and son - who are living at a waterhole. According to the story, Anangu tjuta (lots of people) went to that rockhole for the kapi (water), which is said to taste sweet. This upset the father and he told them to go back to their own country. Once the people left, the father and son travelled to Willuna, where they camped for weeks. They then return to Pukara. One day they were sleeping, but were awoken by a loud buzzing sound. The Minyma Punpunpa (the female flies) had been attracted to the honey grevillea plants found near the waterhole. It prompted the father and son to get up and go to collect the honey from the plants. It is there that the Wati Mututa (male black ants) appeared. They speared the son in his side. When the son started vomiting, he produced the seeds of all the different varieties of honey grevillea plants that are still found there today. They include kaliny-kalinypa, ultukunpa, piruwa and witjinti.
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Ngaanyatjarra/ Pitjantjatjara artist Mr Donegan (1940 - 2022) began painting professionally about 2000, as one of the first painters of the local artists co-operative Papulankutja Artists in Western Australia. On the passing of his wife Donegan moved back to Kalka in the A_angu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY) where he started painting at Ninuku Arts. In 2010 Donegan won the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award.
2 February - 4 March 2023
Guest Curated by Margaret Hancock Davies and Holly Grace.
Clare Belfrage / Mr Donegan / Mrs Fatt / Brenden Scott French / Holly Grace / Jessica Loughlin / Kirstie Rea
Material: Acrylic on Belgian Linen.
Dimensions: 183W x 153H mm
Please note, all works will be available for collection at the end of the exhibition on March 3. For shipping enquiries, please contact shop@craft.org.au who will be available to provide an Art Courier quote.