Mimili Maku Arts

Mimili Maku Arts, often referred to as Mimili Maku, is an Aboriginal-owned and -led arts centre located in the remote community of Mimili in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, in the remote north-west of South Australia.

The name of the arts centre refers to the Maku (witchetty grub) Dreaming, which is a significant story from the area and forms a central part of many of the Mimili Maku senior artists' paintings.[1] However, the work of the Mimili Maku artists is diverse and represents a wide range of stories and styles.[2]

Mimili Maku involves all members of the community and the four surrounding homelands: Perentie Bore, Wanmara, Blue Hills and Sandy Bore.[3] One of the directors of the centre, Kunmanara (Mumu Mike) Williams said: "At Mimili Maku Arts we work together: [t]he old men and women side by side with their children and grandchildren. This is Anangu way".[4]

Works produced by the centre's artists have been exhibited in institutions nationally and internationally, have won many prestigious art awards and are highly sought after by collectors.[5]

History

The community of Mimili was established in the 1970s after the land was returned to the traditional owners with the land that the community occupies previously being part of Everard Park Station. This meant that many people, who are now the elders of the community, lost their jobs at the station where they undertook mustering, droving and breaking in horses.[6]

Since then arts have emerged as an activity that significantly benefits individuals, families and communities in many significant ways, including economically, providing employment to many local people, while at the same time being culturally beneficial.[7] Mimili Maku is one of the more recently established art centres in the region, having been established in 2010.[8]

Mimili Maku is part of the APY Art Centre Collective.[9]

The gallery closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. During this time the artists worked on Robert Fielding's research project with the South Australian Museum, which focuses on intergenerational learning and cultural maintenance.[10]

Founding member Kunmanara Mumu Mike Williams, who died in 2019, was posthumously awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) an on 8 June 2020 in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours, in recognition of his service to Indigenous visual arts and the community.[11]

Artists

Past and present major artists at the centre include:

Other artists listed as of 2020:[14]

  • Harriette Bryant
  • Alwyn Dawson
  • Margaret Dodd
  • Shane Dodd
  • Mark Doolan
  • Judy Martin
  • Kunmanara Martin
  • Patricia Martin
  • Anita Pumani
  • Brenita Pumani
  • Danielle Pumani
  • Josina Pumani
  • Teresa Pumani-Mula
  • Emma Singer
  • Pauline Wangin
  • Puna Yanima

References
  1. "About". mimilimaku. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  2. "Uwankara nganana Mimili Maku Arts - Together we are Mimili Maku Arts". Aboriginal Art | Outstation. 11 June 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. Contemporary, Aboriginal. "Mimili Maku Arts". Aboriginal Contemporary. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  4. "Mimili Maku". Indigenous Art Code. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  5. "Mimili Maku Arts". Art Collector Magazine. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  6. "Mimili Maku Arts". HARVEY ART PROJECTS. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  7. "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts | Australia Council". www.australiacouncil.gov.au. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  8. "Ananguku Mimili Maku Arts Aboriginal Corporation". ACNC. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  9. "Our Art Centres". APY Art Centre Collective. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  10. "Mimili". Linden New Art. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  11. Morse, Dana; Lysaght, Gary-Jon (7 June 2020). "South Australian 2020 Queen's Birthday honours recipients announced". ABC. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  12. "Artists". Mimili Maku. Drop-down list under Artists tab. Retrieved 3 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. "Kunmanara Mumu Mike Williams". Biennale of Sydney. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  14. "Artist". mimilimaku. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. "Robert Fielding". Mimili Maku. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  16. "Annual Appeal". National Portrait Gallery (Australia). 29 June 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
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