Kunmanara (Harry) Tjutjuna

Kunmanara (Harry) Tjutjuna was born in the bush circa 1930 at a place known as Walytjatjara. This place is north-east of Pipalyatjara community. He was one of the most senior Law men of the area. He was also a revered artist and Ngangkari (traditional healer). A native Pitjantjatjara speaker, Kunmanara has strong family ties to the APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) Lands in South Australia, and into the west towards Warburton Ranges. As a young man, he moved around a lot. He lived at a place called Pukatja (Ernabella), where a mission existed for many years. It began in 1937 and was primarily established to provide medical assistance and western education to local Anangu (the term for Aboriginal people from the area). Kunmanara went to school in Pukatja but he later moved on to work at a settlement, where he sank bores, did fencing and gardening and tended to the animals. He also worked as a stockman, mustering cattle for many years. Eventually he moved back to the far north-west with a large family, living in and around Irrunytju (Wingellina) in Western Australia, and Pipalyatjara in South Australia. He became a full-time artist in 2005 at Ernabella Arts before moving permanently to Pipalyatjara in 2008, where he continued painting at Ninuku Arts Centre. His knowledge of Tjukurpa (Dreaming stories) associated with the land surrounding Pipalyatjara is extensive and, due to his seniority, is unmatched by most others. He paints a range of stories including Wati Wanka (Spider Man); Wati Nyiru, the man who chases seven sisters around and eventually marries one; and Kungka Tjuta - young girls telling stories traditional way by drawing designs in the sand (milpatjunanyi). "Old generation are here now and I am old generation too. Lots of old generation have passed away. What are we going to do? What happens when I pass away? New generation got to learn Tjukurpa." His whimsical themes, combined with his masterful use of the brush, quickly positioned him as one of the most highly sought-after artists at Ninuku Arts and throughout Australia. He has a unique approach to painting, exhibiting a quirky representation and bold confidence.

Solo Exhibitions
2014 Harry Tjutjuna, Solo Exhibition - Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney NSW.
2007 Harry Tjutjuna - Recent Works - Raft Artspace, Darwin NT.

Group Exhibitions
2023 Quintessence - Aboriginal Signature Gallery, Belgium.
2018 Etched in the Sun II - Nancy Sever Gallery. Canberra, ACT.
2017 From the past to the present with Ninuku Artists - Aboriginal Signature Gallery, Estrangin Fine Art. Brussels, Belgium.
2017 Ninuku Prints - Chapman & Bailey Gallery. Melbourne, VIC.
2017 Jimmy Donegan and Ninuku Artists - Short Street Gallery. Broome, WA.
2016 Kala ngura ngayuku. Colours of my home/country - Art Mob, Hobart, TAS.
2015 Ninuku Tjuta - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.
2015 Desert Mob 2015 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2015 Salon des Refusés 2015 - Darwin Festival, Darwin, NT.
2014 Ninuku Group Exhibition - Harvey Art Projects, Idaho, USA.
2014 Desert Mob 2014 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2013 Desert Mob 2013 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2013 Wati Pulka, Important Man - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.
2013 New Works - Harry Tjutjuna - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2012 Manta Irititjangku: Ngura Kutjupalakutu, Ancient Land: New Territory - Gallery nine5 and Harvey Art Projects, Soho, New
York, USA.
2012 One Song, Different Tune - Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA.
2012 INMA: Our Ceremony - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT.
2012 Nganampa Ngura - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.
2012 Four Artists - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2012 Desert Mob 2012 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2012 Painting the Land - Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW.
2012 APY Lands Group Show - Aboriginal & Pacific Art Stand, Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, VIC.
2012 Ngintaka - Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT.
2011 Western APY Lands, Touring Exhibiton - ArtKelch Gallery, Freiburg, Germany.
2011 Wati Ngintaka Tjukurpa, - Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA.
2011 The Shared Language of Paint - Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT.
2011 Ngura Kalatjara - Land and Colour, AP Bond Gallery, Adelaide, SA.
2011 Ngura Wirukanyanku - This is a Beautiful Place - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2011 Ngura Inkanyi - Singing Country - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.
2011 Five Strong Men - Outstatation Gallery, Darwin, NT.
2011 Shalom Gamarada Charity Fundraiser - Shalom Gamarada, Sydney, NSW.
2011 Kulina Inma: Listen to Song - Tunbridge Gallery, Margaret River, WA.
2011 The Chairmans Art Auction - Aboriginal Employment Strategy, Sydney, NSW.
2011 Recent Works by Ninuku Arts - Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW.
2011 Desert Mob 2011 - Araluen, Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2010 A Watiku Show - Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT.
2010 Black-and-white Series - Aboriginal & Pacific Art Stand, Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, VIC.
2010 APY and Western Desert Exhibition - Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT.
2010 Warka Kuwari Walkatjunanyi: New Paintings by the Artists of Ninuku Artists - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2010 Women and Colour - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT.
2010 Desert Mob 2010 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2010 Kulunypa Tjuta Paintamilani: Lots of Small Paintings - Short Street Gallery (as part of CIAF) Boland Centre, Cairns, QLD.
2009 Ngura Tjuta: Big Country, Ninuku Arts show - , Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA.
2009 Tjungu: All Together - Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW.
2009 Ninuku Artists Ngintaka Tjukurpa: Perente Lizard Dreaming - Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2009 Kulila Nganampa Tjukurpa. Listen to our Stories. - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT.
2009 Desert Mob 2009 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2009 Ninuku Artists print exhibition ‘Pirinyi’ - ,Nomad Art Gallery, Darwin, NT.
2008 Tjukurpa Kutjupa Kutjupa:Other Stories from Ninuku Arts and Tjanpi Desert Weavers - , Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA.
2008 Our Mob - The Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, SA.
2008 A Way of Seeing - Gallery Gondwana, Sydney, NSW.
2008 Mark Making in Print, South Australian Impressions - Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, SA.
2008 Pirinyi, Prints from Ninuku Arts Artists - ,Australian Print Workshop Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2008 Desert Mob 2008 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2007 Nganampa Ngura - Australia & Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW.
2007 Best of the Best - Framed Gallery, Darwin, NT.
2007 APY Grandeur - Art Mob, Hobart, TAS.
2007 Visions of Country - Seymour College, Adelaide, SA.
2007 Indigenous Art - Museum of Modern Art, Comune di Spoleto, Spoleto, Italy.
2007 Ernabella - A Collection of New Works - Australia Dreaming Art, Melbourne, VIC.
2007 Whyalla Art Prize Finalist - Middleback Arts Centre. Whyalla, SA.
2007 Desert Mob 2007 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2007 Desert Master Class, - South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA.
2007 Anangu Backyard - Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, SA.
2007 Ernabella - Recent Paintings and Ceramics - Birrung Gallery, Sydney, NSW.
2006 Artist in Residence - Sails in the Desert, Yulara, NT.
2006 Senior Pitjantjatjara Artists - Raft Artspace, Darwin, NT.
2006 Itjanu - Australia Dreaming Art, Melbourne, VIC.
2006 The Second Sharom Gamarada Aboriginal Art Exhibition - University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW.
2006 Desert Mob 2006 - Araluen Cultural Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2006 Big Country, Gallery Gondwana, Sydney NSW & Alice Springs, NT.
2006 Anangu Backyard - Adelaide Festival Centre. Adelaide, SA.
2005 Anangu Backyard - Adelaide Festival Centre. Adelaide, SA.

Collections

AAMU MUSEUM, UTRECHT
ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE
ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY COLLECTION
MARSHALL COLLECTION
MERENDA COLLECTION
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA
PARLIAMENT HOUSE COLLECTION, CANBERRA
THE LAGERBERG-SWIFT COLLECTION
THE LEPLEY COLLECTION
THE W & V MCGEOCH COLLECTION

Awards
2011 28th Telstra NATSIAA (Finalist), Museum and Art
Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin NT
2010 27th Telstra NATSIAA (Finalist), Museum and Art
Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin NT
2010 Western Australia Indigenous Art Awards, Art Gallery
of Western Australia, Perth
2009 26th Telstra NATSIAA (Finalist), Museum and Art
Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin NT
2009 Togart Contemporary Art Award, Darwin NT