Ernabella Men's Ceramics

The Ernabella ceramic studio brings young men and women into the studio to produce work alongside their senior artists. Over the past few years the ceramic artists of Ernabella have taken their skills to new heights, with some participating in artist residencies at Jam Factory, Adelaide and Jingdezhen, China, and others mastering new forms and designs. The artists have exhibited in high profile exhibitions across Australia, most recently in the 2015 Australian Ceramics Triennale, the 2016 Australian Ceramics Association’s Biennale exhibition OVERUNDERSIDEWAYSDOWN for cutting edge ceramics in Australia, as well as annual exhibitions at Sabbia Gallery, Sydney.

Ernabella Men’s ceramics are diverse in their expression, ranging from delicately painted landscapes and designs, to bold wheel-turned and handbuilt forms that incorporate sgraffito techniques to capture the patterns of the Tjukurpa.

Pepai Jangala Carroll

born 1950 Haasts Bluff NT
Pitjantjatjara language group

Pepai has worked with Ernabella Arts since 2009 and began creating ceramics alongside other artists. He has exhibited nationally in group exhibitions – most recently his ceramic works were included in Magic Object, the 2016 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art.

He has held many other significant roles in the Pukatja (Ernabella) community, including community Chairperson, the Director of Nganampa Health and Community Constable.

Iningtingala Ila

2015
stoneware with sgraffito
46.5 x 20 cm
Harriet and Richard England Collection
© The artist and Ernabella Arts
Photograph by Sabbia Gallery

From Kintore to Papunya

2013
stoneware with slip, sgraffito and clear glaze
33x13cm
Private Collection
© The artist and Ernabella Arts
Photograph by Raft Artspace

Kungkarangkalpa are the Seven Sisters. They have an extensive creation story relating to the Pleiades constellation. The story traverses Australia taking different forms. This part takes place where they travelled from Kintore to Papunya, near Mount Leibig.

Rupert Jack

born 1951 Mimili SA
Pitjantjatjara language group

Rupert Jack is an accomplished painter and ceramic artist working at Ernabella Arts since 2010. He has exhibited his sculptural ceramic works in various exhibitions, including the recent Australian Ceramics Association exhibition of cutting-edge work, OVERUNDERSIDEWAYSDOWN.

Maku Maku III

2016
stoneware with sgraffito
73.5 x 34 cm
© The artist and Ernabella Arts
Photograph by Sabbia Gallery

Rupert’s ceramic work holds the stories of his birth country Mimili and its major Tjukurpa. He explains how maku (witchetty grub) is both food source and the name of its associated ceremonies:

'Long time ago people came here. When the maku was finished people singing the maku to make them come back. Singing and scattering leaves to make the maku come out of the ground.'

SABBIA_Rupert Jack_Maku Maku III_2016_stoneware with sgraffito_73.5 x 34cm.jpg

Kunmanara (Gordon) Ingkatji

Born: c.1930 Titu
Died: 2016
Pitjantjatjara language group

Mr Ingkatji first painted with Tjungu Palya Art Centre in Nyapari in 2007 and then worked at Ernabella Arts from 2008 until he passed away in 2016. He was a well respected senior law man across the APY Lands who was deeply involved in the Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears) Project - passing on old knowledge and law to young Anangu men through spear making workshops. His brother is artist Kunmanara (Dickie) Minyintiri.

Wanampi mankur mankurpa kutjara kutjara

2016
stoneware with sgraffito
43.9 x 14.3 cm
Private Collection
© The artist and Ernabella Arts
Photograph by Raft Artspace

Mr Ingkatji’s ceramic refers to the Wanampi Tjukurpa (Water Snake Creation Story). He tells how there are ten sites associated with the dreaming:

These ten places are for Anangu drinking, Wanampi separate. Wanampi not walking like Anangu - moves like a whip. That Wanampi mother and father they staying separate, not going anywhere but tjitji tjuta (many children), coming and playing around them. They making friends: Mulpa tjutunga.

Kunmanara (Dickie) Minyintiri

Born: c.1915 Pilpirinyi WA
Died: 2014
Pitjantjatjara language group

Kunmanara (Dickie) Minyintiri is recognised as one of the most pre-eminent painters of the APY Lands region. After the Ernabella Arts Centre began men’s ceramics workshops in 2011, Dickie’s delicately painted stories were easily transferred to a new medium.

The designs on this ceramic refer to Wati-ku inma Tjukurpa (or ceremony relating to men):

Wati kantuni, manta maru.
The men stamp the dark ground (late evening).
Watiku tjitjitku, wati kantuni munu tjitji wanani.
Men and boys, men leading stamping dance boys following.
The wati pulkaku, older men, teaching the young boys.

Dickie Minyintiri_RAFT_Wati-ku Inma Tjukurpa_2014_stoneware_37 x 13cm.jpg

Derek Jungarrayi Thompson

born 1979 Papunya NT
Pitjantjatjara language group

Derek Thompson went to work at Ernabella Arts in Pukatja in April 2011, during the first men-only ceramic workshop. Since then his unique works that depict landscapes and animal life on clay have lead to various opportunities to exhibit and continue learning about ceramic techniques. In 2013 Derek completed an artist residency program at the Big Pot Factory in Jingdezhen, China alongside Tjimpuna Williams, to learn about large-scale pottery and glazing techniques.

Atilla II

This work was made during the residency and depicts Atilla, or Mount Connor, and its surrounding landscape. Attila is a flat-topped mesa, located in the southwest corner of the Northern Territory, and lies close to the site of Kungkarangkalpa, the Seven Sisters Dreaming.