Kujungka is the third exhibition following Mirrka (2023) and Waru (2022), which respectively celebrated many of the bushfoods that have sustained Martu people over thousands of years, and the importance of traditional fire uses.
Kujungka speaks to a sense of connectedness, reflecting the Martu vision to preserve cultural traditions, knowledge, and Country. Whilst desert life has moved away from mobile hunter-gatherer subsistence throughout the course of the twentieth century, bush tucker continues to be a significant component of the modern Martu diet. Hunting and gathering bush tucker remains equally valuable as an important cultural practice that is passed on intergenerationally, and still practiced today.
Martumili Artists was established by Martu people living in the communities of Parnpajinya (Newman), Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu, Kunawarritji, Irrungadji and Warralong, and it draws on strong influences of aboriginal art history. After long and cautious observation of other desert artists’ experiences of the art market.
The artists and their families are the traditional custodians of vast stretches of the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson Deserts as well as the Karlamilyi (Rudall River) area.
Kujungka exhibits daily through July on the City of Perth’s Northbridge Piazza Superscreen and Forrest Place’s Arts Screen as part of the Goologoolup NAIDOC Screenings.
About the screenings
The Northbridge Piazza Screen hosts a variety of events, from formal showings of feature films, complete with bean bag seating, to more casual gatherings for sporting events and exhibitions like this one.
Visitors can relax on the lawn, savour the renowned culinary delights of Northbridge, or enjoy a stroll along James Street, taking in the vibrant neighbourhood.
See the festival guide for screening times. https://screenarts.com.au/goologoolup-25/
Image Credit, detail of
Marianne Burton
Punmu Waterholes
2024
30 x 30 cm
acrylic on canvas
courtesy of Martumili Artists https://martumili.com.au/