Samuel Miller, Ngayuku Ngurra, 122x91cm

Ngayuku Ngura means ‘My Place’. Samuel uses an extensive palette of colours to paint the country surrounding Kalka and Pipalyatjara. His paintings feature the various land formations from that area - rockholes, creeks and hills. His land is a sacred men’s rockhole, so sacred that the name is not allowed to be written down or spoken about.

Samuel Miller was born in 1966 at Ernabella Mission. When Samuel’s mother passed away, his father’s second wife, Molly Nampitjin Miller, cared for him. Molly is a founding director of Ninuku Arts. When growing up, Samuel moved between Amata and Pipalyatjara, but he now resides in Kalka with Molly and the rest of her family. A committed member of Ninuku Arts, Samuel usually paints every day. His paintings depict the traditional iconography of his land, which lies to the east of Pipalyatjara - rockholes, creeks and hills feature in his work, all immersed in Tjukurpa (Dreaming stories). Samuel’s paintings are mesmerising. His composition is minimalist and he makes extensive use of radiating colours, which are largely drawn from the varying colours in the landscape surrounding his country. He is fastidious in his approach and works with a large number of
paint colours, which he spreads out around him as he paints. Although he is one of the youngest men painting at the art centre, Samuel is confident and focussed in his approach.

Ninuku Arts is a wholly-Indigenous owned and governed Art Centre which supports artists from two communities - Pipalyatjara and Kalka. Each have populations of around 100-150 Anangu and the majority are Pitjantjatjara speakers – Anangu simply means ‘people’ in Pitjantjatjara. Both communities are located in the far north-western corner of South Australia, near the tri-state border of South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory. The two communities, fourteen kilometres apart, are surrounded by the rolling, rocky hills of the Tomkinson Ranges and are part of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. Both Kalka and Pipalyatjara are peaceful places. This is a result of strong governance, cultural engagement and pride among local Anangu. 

The Art Centre itself is located in Kalka and is housed in a mud-brick building (the only one in the Lands), which was built as an office in the early 1980’s by Anangu and white staff, and has since been extended to accommodate the growing number of artists keen to paint. A silver bullet caravan (formerly a mobile health unit) is also located on site, and has become a place for some artists to paint, mostly during the winter months while the morning sun warms the deck. Despite being the most remote art centre on the APY Lands, having limited working space and access to services, Ninuku Arts has continued to grow in success with each year. The artist’s commitment to both the art centre and painting is unflappable. The art centre prides itself on its inclusivity (providing opportunities for all generations) and embracing individuality in artists.