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Keturah Zimran

Keturah Zimran

Skin name:NangalaLanguage:Arrernte, Luritja, PintupiDate of birth:1978-05-02Community:Haasts Bluff : NTArtwork media:Acrylic on Belgian Linen, Acrylic on Cotton CanvasArtwork themes:Puli Puli (Rocks), Puli Puli and Tali Tali (Rocks and Sandhills)

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Biography

Keturah was born in Haasts Bluff in 1978. She is the youngest daughter of Molly Napaltjarri Jugadai and Smithy Zimran.

Keturah’s grandparents on her mother’s side are Narputta Nangala Jugadia and Timothy Jugadai Tjungurrayi. Narputta was a founding member of Ikuntji Artists and had been painting since the beginning of the Central Desert Painting Movement of the 1970’s. Narputta was born at Karrkurutjintja (Lake Mcdonald). The rights to this country were passed to her from her father, Talaku Tjampitjinpa. This was then passed down to her mother, Molly and onto Keturah. Keturah’s grandmother and mother have since passed away, with Keturah being the only remaining daughter in this lineage of artist to still be painting this story.

Keturah’s father, Smithy Zimran is the younger brother of Ronnie Tjampitjinpa and Yuyuya Nampitjinpa. He is the youngest son of Uta Uta Tjangala’s older brother, Minpuru Tjangala. Uta Uta is the father to Artist Alice Nampitjinpa Dixon and one of the founding members of the acrylic painting movement.  Smithy’s country is around Lampintja, Southwest of Kintore. Smithy was born in 1949 out bush in Pinari near Kintore. He came to Haasts Bluff as a child in 1956 with his parents and later joined the Pintupi exodus to Kintore 1981. Smithy was an important leader and educator over his life, leading CANCA (Combined Aboriginal Nations of Central Australia) with its landmark Kalkaringi Statement and the establishment of a dialysis unit in Kintore. Smithy painted with Papunya Tula Artists in the 80s and 90s. He passed away in 2000.

Coming from a lineage of established artists, Keturah began painting seriously in 2005. Developing her own distinctive and bold style, she is fast becoming renowned both nationally and internationally.  Most notably, her work is now a part of the Parliament House Collection and has been a finalist in numerous art awards including the 2019 Vincent Lingiari Award.

Keturah is married to Ikuntji male artist Billy Pareroultja and is a mother of eight young children.

This is her life story in her own words:
“I was born here and grew up here. I stay here a long time, Ikuntji is my home. My mother is from here my father is from Kintore. He is in the graveyard near the church.
When I was little I would watch my grandmother and mother paint. It was when I was young I realized I wanted to paint. I started painting in 2005 and my brother paints as well. He paints waru, bush fire Dreaming.
I paint about the sand hills my mother also painted about the sand hills and the Napaltjarri sisters.
I have my own family now. I have seven children. I have two granddaughters and two grandsons. My husband is also a painter. He paints about his grandfather’s country: Lake Mackay.
I like to paint; painting helps me forget my troubles. I paint every day.
My Grandmother used to say to me when I was younger: “One day you will paint.”
She told me to not go wrongly and to look after myself and go strong.
When I look at my paintings I feel happy. My mother and I were closer when I was painting; I wish to be always able to paint.
When I was eight we went to Lake Karrkurrutingtja, we walked around the lake, I remember playing with the white sand and then we all went swimming. Joe Multa and Timmy Jugadai came looking for us at night.
The sand hills I paint are my mother’s story and the rocks I paint are my own story. My paintings are about my story and my mother’s. 
Jeffery is my other brother he plays in a band and is also a painter. I am proud of my brothers.
Originally we grew up on my father’s side in Kintore. Then, when I was ten we moved here (Haasts Bluff) and I grew up with my grandmother. My mother joined us in 1985, a long time later.
When I was in Kintore, I went to school where my father worked in the office he was also a church person. He was a pastor and looked after people. He moved to Alice Springs when he got sick. My father gave me my name from the bible, it comes from the genesis 26.  Keturah comes from the bible and it’s the name of Abraham’s wife. My mother worked in the Clinic as a Health worker.”

Collections

  • Collection Sordello Missana, France
  • Lady Cilento Childrens Hospital Art Collection, Brisbane, QLD
  • Parliament House Art Collection, Canberra, ACT
  • International Education Services - IES, Brisbane, QLD
  • Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Art Collection, Canberra ACT
  • Louis Vuitton, Paris, France

Past Exhibitions

  • National Indigenous Art Fair, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2019-06-29
  • About Country, Talapi, Alice Springs NT 2019-05-24
  • PARRTJIMA – A Festival in Light 2018, Alice Springs, NT. 2018-09-28
  • Ikuntji Artists - Irrimatitja, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle WA 2018-09-21
  • Desert Colour, Talapi, Alice Springs 2018-08-31
  • "Haasts Bluff” contemporary art from the Ikuntji Artists, Yaama Ganu Gallery, Moree NSW 2018-03-15
  • Power and Colour, 34th annual San Francisco Tribal & Textile Art Show at Fort Mason, San Francisco USA 2018-02-08
  • CONTINUING CULTURE Artitja Fine Art, South Fremantle, WA 2017-10-01
  • Desert Mob, Araluen, Alice Springs NT 2017-09-08
  • 11th Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin NT 2017-08-11
  • Centralian Art Award, Central Australian Art Society, Araluen Arts Centre Alice Springs, NT 2017-07-28
  • The Bold and the Beautiful, Talapi, Alice Springs NT 2017-07-07
  • One Country - Many Stories, Colin Biggers & Paisley Foundation, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane 2017-06-20
  • Ngurra Kutju - Tjukurrpa Tjuta, One Country - Many Stories, Exhibition at Colin Biggers & Paisley, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane 2017-06-20
  • Stories are forever, Vivien Anderson Gallery presents at Merricks House Art Gallery, Merricks General Wine Store, Merricks on the Mornington Peninsula 2017-01-14
  • Gems from the Desert, Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, Brussels. 2016-12-01
  • Length & Breadth, New acquisitions from the Parliament House Art Collection, Presiding Officers’ Exhibition Area, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2016-09-01
  • 10th Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin NT 2016-08-05
  • Put yourself in my shoes - Alice Nampitjinpa and Keturah Zimran, Suzanne OConnell Gallery, Brisbane 2016-04-22
  • Kaléidoscope millénaire avec les artistes dIkuntji, Aboriginal Signature - Estrangin Fine Art, Brussels, Belgium 2015-11-19
  • Tarnanthi Festival Art Fair, Tandanya Institute. Adelaide 2015-10-09
  • Tarnanthi Festival, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 2015-10-08
  • Desert Mob, Araluen Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs, NT 2015-09-03
  • Ancestral Presence - Recent works by Ikuntji Artists, June Marriott Gallery, Central Craft, Araluen Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs, NT 2015-08-28
  • 9th Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin, NT 2015-08-07
  • Alice Springs Beanie Festival - Opposites Attract, Araluen Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs, NT 2015-06-19
  • JGM Art, SEEART fair, Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK 2015-06-05
  • OFF FAIR 2015, Aboriginal Signature- Estrangin Fine Art, Brussels, Belgium 2015-04-24
  • Spirit Country, Outback Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, VIC 2015-04-11
  • Tjulpu, Talapi, Alice Springs, NT 2015-03-20
  • Around the Campfire - Fundraiser Concert, Alice Springs Convention Centre, Alice Springs, NT 2014-10-17
  • I Probably Dont Like You, Curated by Nick Devlin and Fergus Binns, The Alderman, East Brunswick, VIC 2014-09-23
  • JGM Art at Lapada Art & Antiques Fair, Berkeley Square, London, UK 2014-09-05
  • Desert Mob, Araluen Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs NT 2014-09-04
  • 21 Years Ikuntji Artists Festival, Haasts Bluff, NT 2014-06-07
  • Arthouse, Gallery Yeh, Seoul, South Korea 2014-05-09
  • Transformations, JGM Art, Indigenous Art Exhibition, Lacey Contemporary, London, UK 2014-05-02
  • Puli Puli - Rocks, Suzanne OConnell Gallery, Brisbane, QLD 2014-03-01
  • Desert Mob, Araluen Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs, NT 2013-09-05
  • SOAF Seoul Open Art Fair, Seoul, Korea 2013-05-03
  • Emerging Artists Exhibition: Big Mob Rocks, Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW 2013-03-09
  • Black and White, Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW 2011-01-01
  • Where Creeks Cross, Booker Lowe Gallery, Texas USA 2010-03-27
  • Ikuntji Icons, ArtMob, Hobart, TAS 2010-03-05
  • Tjanabi, ArtKelch, Freiburg, Germany 2010-02-27
  • Ikuntji meets Brisbane, Woolloongabba Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD 2009-07-10
  • Ikuntji Icons, ArtMob, Hobart, TAS 2009-01-09
  • Ikuntji Artists, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney, NSW 2009-01-01
  • Group Show, Ballan and Pannan Galleries, Alice Springs, NT 2009-01-01
  • Ikuntji Artists, QDos Arts, Lorne, VIC 2009-01-01
  • Mixed Show, Palya Art, Mary Place Gallery, Sydney, NSW 2009-01-01
  • New Paintings from the Desert, Centred Art, Brisbane, QLD 2009-01-01
  • Nyarrumparra (with Joseph Zimran), Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW 2009-01-01
  • Ikuntji Artists, Beckworth Gallery, Ballarat, VIC 2009-01-01
  • Palya Art, Cabinet Malemont, Paris, France 2009-01-01
  • Palya Art, Gallows Gallery, Perth, WA 2009-01-01
  • Ikuntji, Desert Sands Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Mayfair London, UK 2009-01-01
  • Ikuntji Now, Woolloongabba Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD 2008-09-17
  • Cultural Connections Desert Stories, Artitja Fine Art, Perth, WA 2008-07-26
  • Yungkiya & Kulunypa- Old & New, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW 2008-01-01
  • Ikuntji Artists, Jennifer Guerrini-Maraldi Contemporary Fine Art, London, UK 2008-01-01
  • Ikuntji Painters, Footsteps Gallery, Brisbane, QLD 2008-01-01
  • Divas of the Desert, Gondwana Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Sydney, NSW 2008-01-01
  • Ikuntji Show, QDos Gallery, Lorne, VIC 2008-01-01
  • Ikuntji, Victoria Carroll and Jennifer Guerrini Maraldi, Battersea London, UK 2008-01-01
  • North Meets South: Ikuntji and Tjala Arts Converge, ReDot Gallery, Singapore 2007-08-29
  • Ngankirritja, Indigenart, Perth, WA 2007-01-01
  • Desert Belles, ReDot Gallery, Singapore 2005-12-14