Ken Sisters facts for kids
The Ken Sisters are a group of talented Pitjantjatjara artists. They are also known as the Ken Family Collaborative because they are all related and often work together. These award-winning artists come from the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in northern South Australia.
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Meet the Artists
The Ken Sisters are a family of artists who create amazing artworks together. Here are some of the sisters who are part of this special group:
- Tjungkara Ken
- Tingila Yaritji Young
- Maringka Tunkin
- Paniny Mick
- Sandra Ken
- Freda Brady
- Sylvia Ken
- Nyanu Ken
Their Artistic Journey
The Ken Sisters are the daughters of another famous artist, Mick Wikilyiri. He is a Traditional Owner of Tjala (Honey Ant) Country. This means his family has a very old connection to this land. The sisters live and work in the Amata community. They are part of Tjala Arts and the APY Art Centre Collective, which help Aboriginal artists share their work.
Painting Together
The Ken Sisters are part of the Western Desert art movement. They often paint on the same canvas at the same time, working together on the studio floor. Tjungkara Ken explains that this is how she learned to paint. She says, "kids sitting down with grandmas, and grandma telling the story and putting dots down." This shows how art and stories are passed down through generations in their culture.
Important Stories in Their Art
The sisters often paint two very important stories from their culture:
- Tjala tjukurpa (Honey Ant dreaming)
- Kungkarangkalpa tjukurpa (Seven Sisters dreaming)
These stories are part of their heritage and connect them deeply to their land and family.
Awards and Recognition
The Ken Sisters have won many important awards for their art.
- In 2016, their painting called Seven Sisters won the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. This is a major art award in Australia.
- In 2018, they also won the People's Choice Award at the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award. This award is chosen by the public.
Their artwork has been shown in many famous galleries. These include the Art Gallery of South Australia, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the National Gallery of Australia. Their paintings are also part of important collections like the National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia.
