Ikuntji Designs
Over the past five years, Ikuntji Artists have explored the medium of fabric design and printing. We are proud to celebrate the diversity in screen printing coming out of Ikuntji Artists today. It draws on the legacy of the Ikuntji art movement’s history. In the early 1990’s, after first experiences made in printing T-shirts, the artists began producing acrylic paintings on linen and handmade paper, which quickly gained the attention of the Australian and international art world as well as earning the centre an impressive reputation for fine art.
This textile design project first began in (2016) when Ikuntji Artists started translating paintings into textile designs through screen-printing. The resulting collection of bold evocative prints sets Ikuntji Artists as the first Art Centre in the Central Desert to release its own textile collection. The designs tell the story of intergenerational art and design, spanning generations from senior and established artists to emerging next generation artists. The artists draw their inspiration from their personal ngurra (country) and Tjukurrpa (Dreaming). The designs are unique to Central Australia, particularly the sandhills, waterholes, jagged mountains and sandy plains of the West Macdonnell Ranges region.
Read more about the history of Ikuntji Designs here
The Ikuntji Designs Project has culminated into many incredible collections:
Ikuntji Textiles Collection 2019 & 2020
In 2019 Ikuntji Artists released their first collection of textiles, featuring designs by many established and emerging artists. In 2020 we continued to expand this range with new colour-ways and designs. These textiles have gained international attention and were a finalists in the 2020 National Indigenous Fashion Awards.
They have also been exhibited in the following shows: Ikuntji Artists Textile Exhibition, 2019, Central Craft, Alice Springs, Ikuntji Artists Textile Exhibition 2020, Central Craft Alice Springs, and Design Canberra 2020.
Shop textiles here
Ikuntji Design collaborations
Over the last few years Ikuntji Artists have been proud to work with some incredible partners, creating a number of collaborative collections of ethically made fashion and accessories that feature our Ikuntji Textiles range.
Ikuntji X Magpie Goose
Ikuntji Artists partnered with fashion social enterprise Magpie Goose to bring this special collaboration. The collection features seven designs from five Ikuntji artists: Alice Nampitjinpa, Keturah Zimran, Mavis Nampitjinpa Marks, Eunice Napanangka Jack and Mitjili Napurrula. This collection was a finalists in the 2020 The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards and 2020 National Indigenous Fashion Awards.
Ikuntji X Magpie Goose look book
Shop Collection here
Ikuntji + Publisher
Ikuntji Artists partnered with printers and designers Publisher Textiles to create this beautiful collection of 100% Australian designed and made clothing. The collection features designs by Eunice Napanangka Jack, Keturah Zimran, Mavis Marks, Lisa Multa and Leonie Kamutu. Each piece has been crafted by Publisher and the fabric screen-printed by hand.
Shop collection here
Ikuntji Artists X MCA facemasks
Ikuntji Artists collaborated with the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia to bring out a collection of handmade face masks,using screen-printed fabric designed by Eunice Napanangka
Ikuntji X Flying Fox Fabrics with Cambodian Artisans
Ikuntji Artists have teamed up with Flying Fox Fabrics to bring out a collection of beautiful and ethically made bags and accessories, all featuring fabrics from Ikuntji Textiles. The bags are made by fairtrade Cambodian Artisans, working with Women for Women, Villageworks and Kravan House.
Shop collection here
About the Makers:
Kravan House have been operating for more than 16 years from a shopfront in Riverside Kravan House was one of Cambodia’s first social enterprises. After war and instability left the country with limited infrastructure and few manufacturers it took a long time for any industries to establish, let alone employ disabled people. Kravan House was founded by Mrs Thanan Hok in 2003 to provide training and employment opportunities to women and men people who are disabled due to landmines, polio and other physical challenges.
Villageworks Cambodia was established in 2001 as a social enterprise. They create a selection of accessories and homewares and are innovative in the materials used including recycled, organic and natural materials. In 2015 they became certified members of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO).
Women for Women are a social enterprise in Cambodia that recruits, trains, supports and employs disabled women and minority groups in remote communities.