Alison (Jojo) Puruntatameri

Alison was born in Pirlangimpi on Melville Island, where she spent her childhood and attended the local school. After completing her education, she worked in childcare. Alison is a proud mother to one daughter, Annette Orsto—known affectionately as Sugar Plum— who is a beloved figure at the art centre, where Alison paints alongside her mother, Paulina (Jedda) Puruntatameri, her partner James Orsto, and other talented artists.

Alison’s journey into painting was encouraged by her late grandfather, Justin Puruntatameri, a respected senior lawman. Justin, who carried with him the memory of the visits made by the Macassans to the Tiwi Islands during his childhood, recognised Alison’s potential as an artist. His stories of traditional art, songs, and the connection to country deeply inspired her. He would also take Alison and her family hunting and on adventures in his two-door Toyota ute, “Black Nose,” teaching them how to cook wallabies, mussels, and other foods, all carefully prepared under the ground wrapped in paperbark.

In 2011, Alison began her artistic journey at Munupi Arts Centre, where her work quickly gained recog- nition. Alison has been a finalist in several prestigious art awards, including the Museum of Contempo- rary Art’s 2014 Primavera Art Award, the 2022 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Telstra NATSIAA), the 2022 Alice Prize, and the 2023 Ramsay Art Awards at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Awards:
2023 Finalist, Ramsay Art Award
2022 Finalist, The Alice Art Prize
2022 Finalist, Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards 2015 Finalist, Primavera Veolia Acquisitive Prize

Group Exhibitons:
2025 Melbourne Art Fair 2025- Alison Puruntatameri & Carol Puruntatameri Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne Vic 2024 Ngini Ngawula Pikaryingini (Our Stories), Hilton Double Tree; Darwin; NT
2024 Yoi, SAATCHI Gallery; UK
2024 Across the Water Exhibition Artitja Fine Art; Fremantle; WA
2024 Yoi GJM London; UK
2023 Ngarukuruwala Kapi Murrukupuni (we sing to the land), Cooee Art Leven; Redfern; NSW
2023 Art of Tiwi Artists of Munupi- Tarnanthi Festival 2023 Exhibition Aiarts gallery; Belair ; SA
2023 Pupuni Mantiminga _ Fine Lines. Everywhen Art Space; Flinders, Victoria
2023 Kurrujupunyi - Ochre Colours. Hilton Double Tree , Darwin
2023 Ramsey Art Award. Art Gallery of South Australia
2022 Telstra NATSIA Art Award 2022 - Finalist Museum and Art Gallery of NT
2022 NGININGUWULA KURRUJIPUNI Our Own Tiwi Ochre Colours Darwin Hilton Double Tree, august
2022 LINE IN PARRALLEL Artitja Fine Art Gallery; South Fremantle; WA
2022 Tiwi Creation. Cooee Art Redfern
2022 Wynne Prize 2022 - finalist- Art Gallery New South Wales Sydney
2022 Alice Spring Art Foundation Prize, Finalist - Araluen , Alice Spring
2021 Tiwi Papers; Tarnanthi Festival 2021; Art Gallery of South Australia
2021 Banapa, Nets of the tiwi Islands - on line exhibition- Red Dot fine art Gallery, Singapore
2021 YIRRINKIRRIPWOJA JILAMARA Darwin Hilton Double Tree, august 2021
2020 Tiwi Islands to Arnhemland Munupi Maningrinda Artitja Fine Art Gallery; South Fremantle; WA
2020 Yalininga, Ngaripantingija, Ngirramini. Aboriginal Signature • Estrangin Gallery, Bruxelles, Belgique
2019 Journey Through Culture. Red Dot Fine Art Gallery, Temporary Gallery, North St, Adelaide, SA
2019 Pupini Jilamara Nginingwula (our Beautiful paintings). Hilton Double Tree Hilton, August 2019
2018 Nginingawula Awirankiniwaki. Hilton Double Tree Hilton, August 2018
2018 One island one side. • Yati Ratuwati Yatuwati • Art Aborigène des Iles TIWI. Aboriginal Signature, Brussels, Belgium 2016 Point of difference; Desent to sea. Artitja fine Art at Engine Room.Perth.WA
2016 Ngawila Jilamara Exhibition. Hilton Double Tree, Darwin Nt
2014 Primavera 2014. Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney NSW
2013 Munupi Art is Tiwi Life. Marshall Art, Hyde Park, Adelaide, SA
2013 Nginingawula Munupi Jilamara. Our paintings Marshall Arts, Hyde Park, SA
2012 Tiwi Book Launch. Vivien Anderson Gallery, Caufield North, Melbourne, Vic
2025 Cooee Art Leven persents Ngarukuruwala Kapi Murrakupuni ‘we sing to the land’ - Sydney Contemporary Art Fair NSW

Bibliography:
2023 John McDonald; Get your shopping lists ready: The art world’s version of Young Talent Time is here; Sydney Herald Tribune; 9 June 2023

Collections:
Veolia Collection, Pirmont, NSW
yilli rreung Corporation, Yarrawonga, NT Westfarmer Collections, Perth
Art Gallery of South Australia , Adelaide, SA. Goulburn Regional Art Gallery
Libby and Michael Kingdon Collection