- Title: Milpatjunanyi – Telling Stories in the Sand Xll
- Artist: Nungalka (Tjaria) Stanley
- Region: Central Australia
- Art Centre: Ernabella Arts
- Medium: Etching
- Collection: Milpatjunanyi - Telling Stories in the Sand
- Dimensions: 37 x 40 cm
- Edition Size: 10
- Price ($AUD): $ 2640 - suite of 12 works
Artwork Story
Milpatjunanyi is the telling of stories in the sand employed by adults and children alike and a vital part in the passing of the oral history of the Pitjantjatjara people. It Is a tradition that continues richly today. Girls and women alike use the practise to repeat and analyse the happenings of their day to day lives, sitting on the ground tapping a rhythm to their spoken words and drawing pictures with wire or a stick to describe the actions of the characters in their stories. Many of the marks made in artwork have emerged from the forms and symbols used in the sand drawing. There are many classic milpatjunanyi stories which are told by older women in the evening round the fire to entertain each other and put children to sleep.
The Pukatja (Ernabella) community sits in the north-west of South Australia, in the Musgrave Ranges approximately 330 km south-west of Alice Springs. It is the oldest art centre in Australia, operating since 1948, becoming incorporated as an Aboriginal owned enterprise in 1974.
Ernabella has developed an international reputation for fine art, works can be found in many state and private collections including the National Gallery of Australia, The National Gallery of Victoria, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the British Museum.
Number XII in a suite of 12 beautiful etchings by Nungalka (Tjaria) Stanley. Printed at Basil Hall Editions Darwin in 2007 by Basil Hall, Natasha Rowell, Jo Diggens, Merran Sierakowski and Michael Roseth. Image size 37 x 40 cm, Edition 10. Suite of 12 etchings – $ 2640
© Ernabella Arts