On Thursday the seventh of November, Papunya Tjupi Art Gallery presented their exhibition Tjupi Puli (Honey Ant Mountain). The name Tjupi Puli is an homage to the ancestral dreaming site that rests aside Papunya community sometimes referred to as Warumpi . It’s ever present significance for the people in Papunya is frequently returned to. Whilst working on a project at Tjupi Puli for the exhibition, the council and permission of legendary Papunya Artist Michael Nelson Tjakamarra was sought. After being picked up from his home on East- Side Papunya we were on the way to Tjupi Puli. “Nyaltji kutu?” (Where to?) Michael asks. “Papunya lakutu” (to Papunya) is the response. So inseparable is Tjupi Puli from ones understanding of Papunya. - Watson Corby Coordinating his project of revisiting the early Papunya works on an old Ford Falcon. For weeks men sat out bush to bringing this project together. Photo - Zachius Turner This important coming together marks the opening of Papunya Tjupi’s brand new Men’s painting space. Papunya men are the forefathers of the entire western desert dot-painting movement, making Aboriginal art famous in the 1970s in Papunya. However, with the exodus of the famous collective Papunya Tula during the homelands movement in the 1980s, Papunya men have not had a place to come together since. The women of Papunya incorporated Papunya Tjupi in 2007 and although seeing a strong collective of commanding women flourish as artists, the art centre has historically had a limited capacity to support male members of community interested in a career in the arts. Mainly, this has been due to lack of culturally appropriate infrastructure. This opening of the men’s painting space at Papunya Tjupi is the first space for men in Papunya to come together to make art in over fifty years. This exhibition celebrates that the Men’s Art and Cultural revival in Papunya is now a reality for the men. - With the incredible help of Glenn Iseger-Pilkington and Desart’s curatorial program, the men worked hard setting up the exhibition. This historical moment also celebrates the positive momentum and positive stories that the men and women have been creating over the last two so years. This revival was initiated by the strong artists and directors of Papunya Tjupi, the women, committing to share their successes and opportunities with the wider community- the men. This spark of which might be traced to campouts in mid 2017 focused on young men, their lives and their ambitions. The young men stated in no uncertain terms that they wanted an opportunity to actively practice their culture and wanted to learn more about the dancing, hunting, Tjukurrpa and art. Subsequently, a reaching out was made on both ends of the age and gender spectrum, and this body of work is a glimpse into the journey that followed. The men began engaging in all the opportunities that were made available by the Art Centre. These high school aged men were able to demonstrate initiative and claim ownership over their choices despite their disenfranchised position. In August 2019 the doors of the men’s painting space opened to a flood of young men eager to paint. Quickly the space developed its own personality distinct from the main studio where the senior and established women of Papunya make art. It is an energetic and sometimes chaotic and crowded space. The men scour through the many books, which document the important art created in Papunya, obsessively reviewing the art of their Grandparents. They scroll through photo archives documenting the early days of the Western Desert. They experiment with colours, styles and many different mediums. This is accompanied most of the time by laughter and cups of tea. Looking around the room smiling Zachius Turner exclaimed “feels like home”. - Zachius Turner and Cayman Corby painting in the mens room. Indeed, beyond and behind what has been produced and shared in this exhibition, are the country visits, the learning and the conversations. The men have been reflecting on the important legacy that they inherit from their parents and grandparents and in no light manner have they commenced this undertaking to navigate the world of Western Desert Art. A continuous consultation with traditional owners takes place and the senior female artists of Papunya Tjupi Arts have sat down with the men at camp outs to teach the young men about the Tjukurrpa that runs through to them in their family line. Rigorous unseen protocol and research informs the work that was shown at Tjupi Puli. As Watson Corby puts simply: “Tricky for us Anangu ”. The young men painted in the blistering heat to finish painting the car before the exhibition. Tjupi Puli is the first body of work produced since the opening of the Men’s painting space. Several artists showcased have already received industry recognition. Most notably are Waston Corby and Carbiene McDonald. Watson is one of the very few Men in Papunya that already have a long history of painting with Tjupi Arts. His painting however, until recently mostly occasional. He had faced many hurdles without a dedicated men's space. A middle aged father of eight, Watson has increasingly demonstrated his capacity to guide the young artists of Papunya and established himself as the leading figure in the men’s art space. Two of Watsons striking contemporary depictions Kalipinypa , the country he inherits from his Grandfather famous early Papunya painter Johnny Warangkula were on display at the opening. Carbiene McDonald has in just over a year emerged as a leading artist at Tjupi Arts and an inspiration for the young men. Most notably, Carbiene recently took out the prestigious landscape award, the Hadley’s Art Prize. This was an incredible achievement for Carbiene who travelled to Tasmania to receive the award. Two of his Four Dreamings works, one of which a staggering 152x275, were displayed at Tjupi Puli contributing significant weight to the exhibition. Since the opening of the Men’s painting room there have been some twenty five men coming to the space to produce art. Naturally, there are many young men that the art centre is excited to introduce. Keanu Nelson has been a daily visitor at the men's space and has shown natural flare painting his Grandfather Liimpi Tjampitjimpa’s Yalka Tjukurrpa (Bush Onion). Proudly, Keanu announced after the event that he had “four canvases” on display. Lazarus Abbot’s Widgetty Grub Tjukurrpa works also provoked admiration from the visitors at the event. Many more artists had notable works such as Snowy McDonald, Zachius Turner and Leemyn Corby to name a few. Keanu Nelson feeling happy as his work comes together. The showpiece of the exhibition was however, the old painted Ford Falcon. With the approval and supervision of Bob Dixon, traditional owner for Tjupi Puli and holder for the associated Tjukurrpa, Watson Corby led a project of painting a broken down Ford Falcon from the seventies that lay beside Tjupi Puli . Watson coordinated a medley of different works produced on the motorcar in an homage to the early painters of Papunya. Featured on the car are the motifs used to depict the Tjukurrpa of Kaapa Tjampitjimpa, Long Jack Phillipus and Johnny Warungkula. The centrepiece of this project is the recreation of the Tjupi Tjukurrpa story painted on the Papunya School in 1971. Referred to as the ‘honey ant mural’, this work is often cited as marking the beginning of the Western Desert Art movement. Bob Dixon, who watched his father paint the mural as a child, carefully dictated to Watson and the young men how it should be painted. Dennis Kulata Nelson also painted his Kalipinypa Tjukurrpa on the rear side of the car, the Tjukurrpa again inherited from Johnny Warangkula, Denis’ father Watson’s idea for this project was inspired by his experience talking at Desertmob symposium. He spoke proudly in Luritja of Papunya history, his grandfather's country and the journey of the young men before hundreds of strangers. His Nephew Zachius Turner confidently translated his story. The experience prompted a nostalgia for Watson and an urge to tell Papunya’s stories. Through the motorcar project Watson ingeniously communicates the narrative of the young men, depicting their exciting new beginnings, which are deeply conscious of their roots. - “Ngatja family tree kunyu. Palya nyakuntjaku. Ulata tjukurrpa ngatja. Yuwa nganampa tjukurrpa kanyintjaku”. – Bob Dixon - “This is like a family tree. It’s good for us too see this. There is a whole lot of dreaming here. Our dreaming. Here so that we can hold onto it”. – Bob Dixon Visitors came to Papunya from around the Central Australian region and were welcomed by a barbeque and speeches from Isobel Gorey, Sharon Butcher, Sammy Butcher, Carbiene McDonald and Watson Corby. Across Papunya community is a shared feeling of pride and positivity. Artist and Director of both Papunya Tjupi Arts and Desart put it aptly in her welcoming speech: “This is a special time because we remember our Tjamu (Grandfathers) painting in the old days. We are celebrating because now it is happening again.” - “Yungupala tjuta ngatja, Tjukurrpa kala kanyini. Tjana irritija Tjukurrpa kanyintjaku. Irriti tjana ngurrpa. Kuwarri tjana nintirringanyi.” – Watson Corby - “These young fellas they already got story. They gotta hold onto it. They gotta bring back the old story. Before they didn’t know. But now their learning”. – Watson Corby Left to Right: Sammy Butcher, Sharon Butcher and Watson Corby opening the exhibition. Papunya Tjupi would like to acknowledge everyone who has made this revival a reality. This moment hasn’t happened in a vacuum. Thank you to the artists of the art centre who initiated this exciting movement and have contributed significant funds, Aboriginals Benefit Account who funded both the new painting room and the men’s program accommodation, ARTS NT for funding skills development and arts development workshops for the men, CASSE and the Men’s Tjilirra movement for facilitating several workshops, Desart for their continued support, in particular with their support in the curatorial workshop for Tjupi Puli , CAYLUS for supporting the men’s program, Arts Trail who funded our gallery space which the exhibition was held, Rooster Construction for building the new spaces, IVAIS who fund our operational and local wages, the galleries across the country and internationally who continue to partner with us and various stakeholders in Papunya Community for pitching in when we’ve needed them including MacYouth, Waltja, The MacDonnell Regional Council Service Delivery team, and Papunya CDP.