Ngaanyatjarra: Art of the Lands is a glorious illustrated book documenting the six art centres (Warakurna, Papulankutja, Tjarlirli, Kayili, Maruku and Tjanpi) that make up the Western Desert Mob group. This book combines the aesthetics of an art catalogue with the rigour of an academic art history, and contains both essays and stories of Aboriginal peoples perspectives on their own artistic heritage. The Ngaanyatjarra Lands has a unique place in the art history and art story of remote Australia and yet art histories of the Western Desert are dominated by the story of the genesis of desert painting at Papunya and its progression through Papunya Tula Artists. However, within the last decade there has been a major realignment of artistic practice, with greater diversity and stunning developments in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands.
This book presents new histories of creative and artistic practice and expands audience understandings of the complexity, richness and interconnectedness of people and art in the Western Desert.
