Doris Bush Nungarrayi
RAFT south PRESENTS
Papa Tjukurrpa: New works by Doris Bush Nungarrayi
Stella Gray, Raft south
To celebrate NAIDOC week, RAFT south invites audiences to an exhibition of new and original work by Western Desert Indigenous artist Doris Bush Nungarrayi which showcases the vibrancy and dynamism of Australian Aboriginal culture.
Born in about 1942, Doris Bush Nungarrayi has been exhibiting since 2008 and held her first solo show in 2012. She is one of the the most prolific artists working out of Papunya Tjupi Arts near Alice Springs. Since its establishment in 2007, the arts centre has fostered an artistic revival lead by the relatives and descendants of the artists and leaders behind Papunya Tula, the legendary birthplace of the Western Desert ‘dot painting’ contemporary art movement in the 1970s. Nungarrayi is at the forefront of these artists and cultural custodians, developing ‘new ways to tell old stories’ (https://tjupiarts.com.au/about/).
In this new body of work, Nungarrayi has translated the Papa Tjukurrpa, or ‘Dog Dreaming’ design, which appears frequently in her paintings, into the medium of chalk and pastel on solid black or white canvas. Nungarrayi’s original approach brings the grain of the canvas and the immediacy of the artist’s mark making to the fore, and reflects the influence of Italian artist Giorgia Severi, who has recently been working with the Papunya artists. The x-ray like lines reference the underdrawings that typically foreshadow the final painted canvas and create a dynamic interplay between positive and negative space. The boldly rendered curved web-like patterns give these traditional designs fresh visual impact.
The exhibition will run from July 8 – August 5.
A full catalogue of the works is available on our website: http://www.raftartspace.com.au/doris-bush/
RAFT south
level 1, 30 Argyle St.
Hobart
TAS 7000
[email protected]
Stella Gray
