A VIBRANT exhibition of paintings and 2D sculptural works by artists from Kaltjiti Arts is opening in South Freo next Friday.
Based in the remote First Nations community of Fregon, 368 kilometres southeast of Uluru, 15 artists at varying stages of their practice offer a rich exploration of Country, culture and storytelling in WANGKA KUTJU, TJUKURPA TJUTA – One Voice, Many Stories.
Artists share narratives ranging from ancestral Tjukurpa to deeply personal reflections on lived experience and connection to place, speaking to the interconnected nature of Anangu life, art and voice, and expressing culture as a living and continuing whole.
The walka—meaningful marks and patterns—reflect the rocks, plants, hills and watercourses of the lands surrounding Fregon.
These marks carry stories passed down through generations of Anangu and brought into the present through the hands of the artists.
Guest artists from the Aboriginal-owned Kaltjiti Arts Centre will make the journey to South Fremantle for the opening weekend, and the public is warmly invited to attend, meet the artists and extend the welcome.
Deeply personal
“Having artists attend their exhibition is always special,” says Artitja director Anna Kanaris.
“It creates a genuine connection and allows audiences not only to view the exhibition, but to experience it in a deeper and more meaningful way.”
A special inclusion is that of the Minyma Mamu 2D metal sculptures—not just quirky figures for your wall, the Minyma Mamu hold special significance and can serve an important cultural role; they reinforce knowledge about Country—guiding behaviour and teaching people, especially children, where it is safe to go and how to act appropriately.
Artitja Fine Art Gallery is a signatory to the Indigenous Art Code, committed to working to ethical standards.
WANGKA KUTJU, TJUKURPA TJUTA – One Voice, Many Stories is free to the public at Earlywork, 330 South Terrace, South Fremantle.
Opening Friday May 29, 6-8pm with artists attending.
The artists will be in the gallery for a Meet and Greet on Saturday May 30, 11am-1pm.
Opening hours are Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm.
The selling exhibition will also be available online at artitja.com.au.