Tjungkara Ken facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tjungkara Ken
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| Born | 1 October 1969 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Painter |
| Years active | 2008 – present |
| Organization | Tjala Arts |
| Style | Western Desert art |
| Parent(s) | Mick Wikilyiri (father) Paniny Mick (mother) |
Tjungkara Ken (born October 1, 1969) is a talented artist from the Pitjantjatjara people. She lives in Amata, South Australia, a community located in the APY lands. Tjungkara started painting in 1997 when a special art center called Minymaku Arts opened for women in Amata. She began painting professionally in 2008. By then, the art center had changed its name to Tjala Arts.
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What Inspires Tjungkara Ken's Art?
Tjungkara Ken's paintings tell stories and show figures from her personal Tjukurpa. This word means "Dreaming" or "Dreamtime" in her language. It's a very important part of her people's spirituality and is connected to the land where her ancestors lived.
Stories from Her Homeland
Her father comes from the land around Amata and Walitjara. Tjungkara often paints this specific area and its Tjukurpa stories. She also creates art about her mother's country, which is further west, near Irrunytju in Western Australia.
Art Shows and Special Awards
Tjungkara Ken's paintings have been shown in many group exhibitions across Australia's biggest cities. Some of her artwork was also part of an exhibition in Graz, Austria, in 2002.
Recognized Artworks
- One of her paintings, called Ngayuku ngura – My Country, was chosen as a finalist for the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 2010. A private collector bought this painting.
- In 2011, the Art Gallery of South Australia chose one of her paintings as a prize for a competition. This painting showed the Kungkarungkara, which is the "Seven Sisters Dreaming" story.
- A painting by Tjungkara Ken from the Art Gallery of South Australia's own collection was also shown in their "Desert Country" exhibition. This painting was even featured on the cover of the exhibition's catalog. The "Desert Country" exhibition included works by many artists from the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands, like Maringka Baker and Nura Rupert.
Where to See Her Art
You can find examples of Tjungkara Ken's work in major art galleries. These include the National Gallery of Victoria, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, and the National Gallery of Australia. Her art is also held in several important private galleries in Australia.
Recent Achievements
- In 2017, she was a finalist for the Archibald Prize with her self-portrait titled Kungkarangkalpa tjukurpa (Seven Sisters dreaming).
- She won the Roberts Family Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Prize in 2021 for her painting Seven Sisters, which was part of the Wynne Prize exhibition.
Tjungkara Ken's Artistic Family
Tjungkara Ken comes from a family of many artists who also work at Tjala Arts. When she creates art with her four sisters—Yaritji Young, Freda Brady, Sandra Ken, and Maringka Tunkin—they are known together as the Ken Sisters.
