Ikuntji Artists

We sell fabric on behalf of Ikuntji Artists in our shop and also make a range of accessories and homewares from their incredibly beautiful designs on fabric. This small art centre in the community of Haasts Bluff in the Western Desert of the Northern Territory has been kicking so many goals creatively, culturally, socially and economically in the last 10 years.

Ikuntji Artists was the first art centre established by women in the Western Desert Art Movement. Already in the 1980s women began painting in Haasts Bluff in the aged care facility. They had been instructed by their husbands and fathers, and they had often assisted them in completing their paintings. By the early 1990s these women artists decided to pursue setting up their own art centre.

www.ikuntji.com.au
Juliette Bags and Donna purses made from Ikuntji Artists hand printed fabrics

Ikuntji Artists recommenced fabric design, painting and printing around 5 years ago. Read about their story here in the article Developing Fabric Designs at Ikuntji Artists written by art centre manger Dr Chrischona Schmidt in 2018. Since that date there have been many more significant developments in the Ikuntji Artists story, especially in relation to fabric design, printing and production. Ikuntji is now having fabric lengths printed offsite by Publisher Textiles and have found huge market appreciation of their designs.

Ms Chan Sina holding a length of hand printed fabric designed by Mitjili Napurrula of Ikuntji Artists at the Kravan House workshop in Phnom Penh
A Donna purse made from Mitjili Napurrula fabric by Villageworks in Cambodia