Papulankutja (Blackstone) is a remote Aboriginal Community, located at the foothills of the Blackstone Ranges within the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. It is about 900 kms west of Alice Springs, 1575 kms north east of Perth and 205kms west of Warburton.

Like many Aboriginal art centres in Central Australia, Papulankutja Artists evolved out of the Women’s Centre where painting had been encouraged as an activity for both men and women since the mid 1980s.  With the Aboriginal art market taking off it became necessary to establish a legal framework to protect the artists and their entitilements. Papulankutja Artists was born in 2003 and a year later registered as an Aboriginal Corporation with the members governing the art centre. In 2009 Papulankutja Artists moved into a purpose built studio.

The art centre also extends its services for artists in Mantamaru (Jameson) community located 75kms west of Papulankutja. There are now approximately 80 artists at Papulankutja and Mantamaru benefitting from working under the umbrella of Papulankutja Artists.

The name Papulankutja comes from the Ngaanyatjarra word for ‘stare without recognising each other’ and is associated with the Tjukurrpa story of two magical ancestral goanna men who didn’t recognise each other when they reached the eastern end of the Blackstone Range (Wirtapi Wara – Long Black).

As Yarnangu custodians, the artists play a major role in maintaining culture, law, and storytelling practices which are still relevant and commonplace across the Lands. They are proud to share some of those traditions through painting Tjukurrpa (Dreamtime stories) about their connection to country and ancestors. These stories include the well-known Seven Sisters story, Wati Kutjarra (Two magical ancestral goanna Men), and Illurrpa (the place where Kuniya, a giant female snake travelled).