COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT : PAPUNYA: ARTWORK FROM THE BUNGALOW

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT : PAPUNYA, ARTWORK FROM THE BUNGALOW
The famous community of Papunya is located 250km NW of Alice Springs/Mparntwe and supports some of Australia’s leading and emerging contemporary artists who are at the centre of the Western Desert art movement. This is painting country, with a synonymous association with the emergence of Western Desert art, everyone here has a direct connection to the first Papunya Tula painters, even the streets are named after eminent artists.

“Papunya appears to be a random scatter of buildings punctuated with bougainvillea and eucalypts. In fact, the township’s layout, comprising a central circle with a concentric semicircle radiating from each quadrant, is based on representations of the Honey Ant Dreaming: the tjupi (honey ant) travelled through here and then headed east where it manifested as the Tjupi hills.”
- Kim Mahood

The artist’s featured in today’s spotlight work thru Papunya Tjupi, established in 2007, in response to the vacuum left following the exodus of many of Papunya's pioneer painters back to their homelands. The studio consists of artists from Papunya and surrounding outstations renowned for their continuous and innovative art practice development to maintain and tell their ancient stories. Central to the artists story is the understanding that painting is an important part of culture and connection to country, leading to the communities’ artists such as, the award winning Doris Bush, recognised nationally and internationally and featuring in major public and private collections.

Short St Gallery invites you to experience the dynamic artworks from today’s spotlight and discover artists who have founded a unique creative force based on the legacy of their forefathers. Images available below, a price list can be obtained at, enquiries@shortstgallery.com.