Alice Nampitjinpa Dixon, Takupalangu, 80x30cm
Original Work of Art (they all are!)
Certified by Community Art Centre
Fast & Free Delivery
120 Day Returns
Authenticity Guarantee
Colour Correct Images
1510+ Reviews
- Details
- Artwork
- Artist
- Art Centre
- Aboriginal Artist - Alice Nampitjinpa Dixon
- Community - Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff)
- Aboriginal Art Centre - Ikuntji Artists
- Catalogue number - 13/AN307
- Materials - Acrylic on canvas
- Size(cm) - H80 W30 D2
- Postage variants - Artwork posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping
- Orientation - Painted from all sides and OK to hang as wished
This painting shows Takupalangu west of Kintore. This is Uta Uta Tjangala’s country, which he has painted throughout his career. Nampitjinpa paints her father’s country of rockholes (puli) and sandhills (tali). There is plenty of bushtucker – mangilpa, which are little black seeds around. The road to Kiwirrkurra passes Takupalangu on the side.
Alice was born in 1943 near Talaalpi, which is a swamp near and a little bit to the east of Walungurru on the Western Australian border. Prior to her painting Alice worked for many years at the Kintore School teaching the young girls dancing and the traditions of the desert people. Alice started painting on the “Minyama Tjukurrpa” – the Kintore Haasts Bluff collaborative canvas project. As a painter she is inspired by her rich cultural heritage, and thrives when involved with her stories and lore. Alice is an active “dancing woman” who travels widely to participate in annual ceremonies and “Women’s Law” meetings. Alice’s tjukurrpa is the porcupine or Tjilkamata. Her story is told in bright colours often utilizing orange and yellow to mirror the ochres that are used in ceremonial body painting. In her tjukurrpa story there is often the porcupine scurrying about rock holes and hiding places looking for tucker while nearby the women are themselves hunting, laying in wait for the porcupine. Alice is a keen hunter and likes to go hunting with Eunice Jack. Alice’s father was the late Uta Uta Tjangala, who was one of the original Papunya Tula painters. His Tjukurrpa is Pungkalungka at Takpalangu. Pungkalungka’s are dangerous, and sometimes kill and eat people. They live in huge caves in the hills. Alice only paints the entrance to the caves to signify the unknown danger of the monster that dwells within. Her father’s country is Ngurrapalangu, and her tjukurrpa has passed to her from this place – the porcupine was travelling through the sand hills and passing near the two carpet snakes, kuniya kutjarra, who were living underneath the water. Alice also enjoys the other crafts and is involved in producing hand-spindled hairstring for ceremonies and ininti necklaces and mats. She regularly goes out bush to collect ininti seeds then laboriously pierces them with hot wire to make beads for necklaces, bracelets or mats.
A lot of stories are still being recounted of long journeys of people from various language groups, who travelled from rockholes and waterholes to caves and mountains finally arriving at Haasts Bluff. The locals, Luritja people of Haasts Bluff, were already here. Thus Haasts Bluff is a community rich of diversity in language and culture.
Ikuntji Artists was first established in 1992, after a series of workshops with Melbourne artist Marina Strocchi, and under the influence of the then community president, the late Esther Jugadai. The art centre was initially set up to fulfil the role of women’s centre providing services such as catering for old people and children in the community. After first experiences made in printing T-shirts, the artists began producing acrylic paintings on linen and handmade paper, which quickly gained the attention of the Australian and international art world as well as earning the centre an impressive reputation for fine art. The focus changed from a women’s centre to an art centre in 2005 with the incorporation of the art centre as Ikuntji Artists Aboriginal Corporation.
The artists draw their inspiration from their personal ngurra (country) and Tjukurrpa (Dreaming). They interpret the ancestral stories by using traditional symbols, icons and motifs. The artistic repertoire of Ikuntji Artists is diverse and includes for example: naive as well as highly abstract paintings told by each artist in their personal signature style. Throughout the 21 years of its existence the art movement in Ikuntji has flourished and constantly left its mark in the fine art world. At the same time the art centre has been the cultural hub of the community, maintaining, reinforcing and reinvigorating cultural practices through art-making.
Today Ikuntji Artists has eight key artists, who exhibit in Australia and internationally. They are represented in major collections across the globe.
Text: Melanie Greiner, Alison Multa and Dr Chrischona Schmidt
Art You’ll Love to Own
Your original artwork will arrive promptly, just as shown online—colour-accurate, carefully packed, and with an authenticity certificate from a community-based art centre. Plus, enjoy free insured delivery and a 120-day return policy for a confident, seamless, and ethical purchase.
Authenticity You Can Trust
Only certificates from community-based Aboriginal art centres guarantee ethical sourcing. Every ART ARK® piece includes this authentic documentation. Learn more about Aboriginal Art Authenticity.
Framing Aboriginal Art
To keep pricing transparent, we deliver artworks as they come to us—unframed and priced in accordance with each art centre. Canvas and linen pieces are rolled for easy re-stretching at your local framer. Bark paintings and smaller items from our Stretched Desert Paintings collection arrive ready to hang. Watercolours should be framed behind glass, either custom or pre-made. Learn more about Framing Aboriginal Art.
Kind Words
Our customers love our fast deliveries, the accuracy of our images, and our ethical business model. See our Customer Reviews to learn more.
Worldwide Delivery
Shipping from Launceston, Tasmania (Lutruwita), to your doorstep, wherever you are. For international orders under $500 AUD, a $30 AUD postage fee applies; otherwise, shipping is free.