Iwantja Aboriginal Art

Iwantja Community is located on the eastern side of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, close to the Stuart Highway in the far north of South Australia. The Community is located on a small ridge at the edge of the Indulkana Ranges, approximately 575 km south of Alice Springs. This is a place on Iwantja Creek where Tjurki, the owl, rested on his Dreamtime travels. The community grew up on an exposed ridge overlooking the creek, part of an excision of land from Granite Downs cattle station.

Although Indulkana is regarded as a Pitjantjatjara community, the majority of Aboriginal people at Iwantja refer to themselves as Yankunytjatjara, which is the group having its origins in the eastern section of the APY Lands. The population of Iwantja varies between about 200 and 250 people, and the Iwantja community also owns the adjacent Granite Downs station.

Iwantja Arts and Crafts is a working Aboriginal art centre which began as Indulkana Arts Association in the 1970s. Initially artists were best known for their printmaking, which was first introduced in 1952, and since then have extended their range of etchings, lino prints and colographs, as well as paintings on canvas and linen.

Iwantja Arts and Crafts moved to the Family Centre in 1995, where it has been able to strengthen its cultural identity and artistic output, with an active group of over 40 Aboriginal artists. The quality of work from Iwantja reflects the strong cultural identity of the community, and Iwantja is home to a group of senior artists including Alec Baker, Whiskey Tjukangku, Peter Mungkuri, Maringka Burton, Suzie Prince and Betty Muffler.

Heart Lands – Iwantja Exhibition
Iwantja Artists Exhibition – 2013
Alec Baker Artist Bio & Artworks