Artist, Blackstone
Kantjupayi Benson is an elder of Papulankutja Community and a respected senior Law Woman. She has three children - a son and two daughters; her son and one daughter are blind and all of Kantjupayi's art income supports these children.
Kantjupayi's parents and grandparents travelled extensively in their country and her father and grandfather were senior Law Men who carried important stories to keep their country strong.
Kantjupayi's paintings are bold, colourful, often figurative works, telling the stories from this country that has been handed down to her from her mother and father. She is a multi-disciplinary artist, whose work is equally strong in fibre works.
Kantjupayi first began making baskets and animal sculptures in 1995 after the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjanjatjara, Yankunyjstjara Women's Council initiated a weaving project at Blackstone. Since then, she has not looked back and has stood out among her peers as an extremely creative and individual weaver.
In 1997 Kantjupayi first began to make animals that she saw around the camp and out in the bush. She soon became renowned for these sculptures. In 200, Kantjupayi made a set of camp crockery, frying pans, cups and billies. She is perhaps best known as the leader of the group that produced the 2005 NATSIAAA prize winning Tjanpi Toyota. Other recent exhibitions include Women Artists of Blackstone at Coee Aboriginal Art in Bondi and Blackstone Ladies at On Shore Art in Richmond, Victoria. She has works in several collections including the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and the Gavan Fox Collection in Adelaide.
See also: Abstract of Kantjupayi Benson's paper:
Tjanpi Aboriginal baskets: A (very big) family business
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