Rupert Jack

"Mr Jack's enigmatic pots use the clay surface as the palimpsest upon which to place his unique take on the traditional stories and legends from his community at Ernabella." (Glenn Barkley, 2016) Rupert Jack is a senior Pitjantjatjara artist at Ernabella Arts working between the painting and ceramics studios. He is also the community pastor. He lives between his homeland, a place named Racecourse, and Ernabella (Pukatja) community. “I was born in Mimili in 1951. I was still a little baby when I moved to Kenmore with my father and mother. My father worked for whitefellas digging wells and anything else. I stayed in Kenmore until I was a man. Then I moved to Ernabella for marriage. I have been a pastor for over twenty years. I spent a long time travelling around, everywhere, Western Australia, Northern Territory, working for the church. Talking and singing, inma. I still know traditional tjukurpa. These are good stories for Anangu. They show you how to look after people. “ He is renowned for his striking hand-built forms that speak of his country, law and faith. His work depicts the maku (witchetty grub), tjala (honey ants), ili (bush fig), kaltu kaltu (bush seed that is ground into a flour to make a kind of damper and also Rupert’s father’s name) and ngata (bush berry) dreamings, as well as biblical stories of Moses and Abraham. Informed by his knowledge of both traditional stories and the bible his work often draws connections between the two. Interestingly he employs the same visual language and iconography to depict both themes.  In 2016 Rupert was featured in the Australian Biennale of Ceramics, curated by Glenn Barkley. In the catalogue Barkley described Rupert's work as celebrating "clay’s talismanic potential." In 2017 Rupert continued to develop his ceramic practice, exhibiting works at Alcaston Gallery, Araluen Art Centre, Sturt Gallery and Harvey Arts (USA). He was also a finalist in the 2017 Muswellbrook Ceramic Prize.   Rupert’s art has been acquired by the National Museum of Australia, ArtBank, the University of Western Australia, the Royal Perth Hospital and the Australian Embassy in Zagreb. In 2017 Rupert featured in Clay Stories: Contemporary Indigenous ceramics from remote Australia at JamFactory presented by Sabbia Gallery, Sydney for Tarnanthi: Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, which then toured to regional galleries.  In 2018 and 2019 Rupert was a finalist in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (The Telstras). In 2020 Rupert had his first solo exhibition featuring his ceramics at Alcaston Gallery in Melbourne. He passed away peacefully in 2025 at the age of 74.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2020, May, Rupert Jack: Solo, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025, February, Inuntji - Desert Flowers, Yaama Ganu Gallery, Moree, NSW

2024, September, Desert Mob, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT

2024, July, Iriti-nguu Kunpu - Strong History, Sabbia Gallery, Sydney, NSW 

2024, March, Mantanguru | From the Sand, Artitja Fine Art, South Fremantle

2023, October, Nganampa Tjukurpa Nganampa Ara: Our Story Our Way, Sabbia Gallery, Sydney, NSW

2023, September, Desert Mob, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT

2023, September, Piryakatu - Springtime, Everywhen Artspace, Mornington Peninsular, VIC

2023, September, Ernabella Arts: Ceramic Warka Wiu 20 Years-kutu - 20 Years of Creating Ceramics, JamFactory Craft and Design Centre, Adelaide, SA

2023, May, Terra Nova - 70 Years of Sturt Pottery, Sturt Gallery, Mittagong, NSW

2023, April, Kungkarangkalpa: Seven Sisters, Michael Reid, Berlin, Germany

2023, February, Caress the Earth II : Manta Ngura Atuntju Kanyini II, Aboriginal Signature, Bruxelles, Belgium

2022, October, Inuntji Putitja – Desert Colours, Artitja Fine Art Gallery, South Fremantle, WA

2022, July, Clay on Country, Australian Ceramics Triennale, Araluen Art Gallery, Alice Springs, NT

2022, July, Mina-ka Malangka : After the Rain, Yaama Ganu Gallery, Moree, NSW

2022, March, Strong Story, Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT

2021, October, Iriti-Ngura Nintini Kuwari-Kutu - Showing the Past in the Present, Praxis Artspace, Adelaide, SA

2021, September, Desert Mob 30, Araleun Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT

2021, August, Clay Dynasty 50 Years of Australian Studio Ceramics, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW

2021, June, Desert Creatures, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA

2021, February, Flying Colours, Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT

2020, October, Tarnarthi Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art: Open Hands, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA

2020, October, Cultural Connections: the gift of story, Artitja Fine Art, South Fremantle

2020, August, Spring Salon Art, Artitja Fine Art, York, WA

2020, June, LUomo Master of Ceramics, Sabbia Gallery, Sydney, NSW

2020, May, Ernabella Arts: About place, Artitja Fine Art, South Fremantle

2020, February, Flying Colours, Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT

2019, August, Desert Colour featuring Ernabella ceramics, Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT

2019, August, Desert Mob 2019, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT

2019, April, Berder. Gaba. Urrknga. Wantja., Nishi Gallery, Canberra ACT

2019, April, Aangu uwankara tjunguringkula pukulpa nyinama I Aangu happily sitting and working together, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA

2018, September, Desert Mob 2018, Araluen Art Centre 2018, August, Weapons for the Soldier, Hazlehurst Regional Gallery

2017, December, In These Hands: Mara Nyangangka, Sturt Gallery, Mittagong NSW

2017, December, Nyuyuntjaku - Keeping the fire alive | New paintings and ceramics by the artists of Ernabella Arts, Harvey Arts, USA 

2017, September, Desert Mob

2017, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs NT

2017, August, Spirited - Kurunitja, Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA

2017, April, Ngura Kutjupa, Walytja Kutju: Different communities, one family, Tangentyere Artists, Alice Springs, NT

2017, March, Clay Stories: Indigenous ceramics from remote Australia, Sabbia Gallery, Sydney NSW

2017, January, Artists of the APY Lands:

2017, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne VIC

2016, October, Nganampa Kililpil: Our Stars, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre

2016, October, Nganampa Kililpi Kuwartija Tjuta pakani: Our Rising Stars, Hazelhurst Regional Community Gallery, NSW

2016, September, Desert Mob, Araluen Arts Centre

2016, September, Desert Colour, Talapai Gallery, Alice Springs NT

2016, July, Paluru tjukurpa pulka kanyilpai: He keeps our stories safe, raft Artspace, Alice Springs NT

2016, May, Australian Ceramics Biennale: OVERUNDERSIDEWAYSDOWN, Manly Art Gallery & Museum

2016, May, Art from the APY Lands, Woolloongabba Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD

2015, December, Tjukurpa Kunpu / Strong Culture: HOLIDAY SHOW 2015-2016, Harvey Art Projects, USA

2015, September, Desert Mob, Araluen Arts Centre

2015, August, Wati tjuta-ku Tjukurpa kunpu ngaranyi – All the men have strong stories, always there, raft Artspace, Alice Springs NT

2015, August, NGANAMPA NGURA, NGANAMPA TJUKURPA – Our Land, Our Stories, Artitja Fine Art, South Fremantle

2015, June, Yangupala Tjuta Waakarinyi (Many Young People Working), Sabbia Gallery, Paddington NSW

2015, June, Paysages Aborigènes incarnés de l’APY land (Incarnated Aboriginal landscape from the APY lands), Aboriginal Signature, Brussels

2015, April, Colours of Nature: Australian contemporary art, Shinsegae gallery, Korea

2014, September, Desert Mob

2014, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs NT

2014, September, Tjulpirpa wiya - Clay!, raft Artspace, Alice Springs NT

2014, July, Nganana Kulilpai Nganampa Tjukurpa, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne VIC

2014, March, Tjungu Warkarintja: Fifteen Years, Sabbia Gallery, Paddington NSW

2013, August, Ernabella Ceramics, Raft ArtSpace, Alice Springs NT

2012, December, ReGeneration: established & emerging talents of Indigenous Art, McCulloch & McCulloch, Shoreham, VIC

2012, December, Desert Mob

2013, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs NT

2012, December, APY Survey Exhibition, Outstation Gallery, Darwin NT

2012, December, Putitja: From Spinifex Country, Aboriginal and Pacific Art Gallery, Sydney NSW

2011, December, Desert Mob

2012, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs NT

2011, December, Uwankara Kurunpa Kutju-Tjara, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne VIC

2011, December, Kapi Ukalinganyi, Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney NSW 

2010, December, Ngura Kutju, Tjukurpa Pulkatjara, Short St Gallery, Broome WA

2010, December, Ernabella Undiscovered, Tunbridge Gallery, Margaret River WA

2010, December, Nganana Ngura-ku Ninti, Nganana Ngura Kanyini (We know our land, we keep pur Land), raft Artspace, Alice Springs NT

2009, December, A Watiku Exhibition (A Mens Exhibition), raft Artspace, Alice Springs NT

COLLECTIONS

2012, ARTBANK, 2012

2016, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA, 2016

2018, ROYAL PERTH HOSPITAL, 2018

2019, Australian Embassy in Zagreb

2019, University of Western Australia, 2019

2024, ARTBANK, 2024

AWARDS

2019, Finalist, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award

2018, Finalist, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award

2022, Finalist, Mandorla Art Award

2022, Finalist, Indigenous Ceramic Art Award Shepparton Art Museum COMMISSIONS

2024, First Nations Arts and Culture Awards, Creative Australia

2025, First Nations Arts and Culture Awards, Creative Australia