A Singular Vision: Supporting the Collection

Since around 1985, local arts, cultural and educational programs have benefited significantly from the unassuming and intelligent philanthropy of Margaret Mittelheuser AM (1931–2013) and Cathryn Mittelheuser AM, and since 2001 over 100 works have been acquired for the Collection through the generous patronage of sisters, placing them among the Gallery’s most consistent and longstanding donors.…

Amata painters: Western Desert painting movement

Amata community is located in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands in north-western South Australia. In the 1970s, Amata women were encouraged to learn batik, natural dyeing, spinning, weaving and leatherwork techniques. Minymaku Arts (meaning ‘belonging to women’) was set up in 1997, but in 2005 the centre was renamed Tjala Arts, with both men…

Follow the red dirt road

Inspired by the Gallery’s commission to paint for ‘the special place’ (the Gallery) the women of the Amata Community in the north-west of South Australia have excelled themselves with a remarkable group of seven paintings and consider these large-scale works to be their best ever. I visited Amata in February 2012. To get there we travelled…