Jack Britten

Jack Britten was born and raised in the bush on Tickelara cattle station in the East Kimberley and lived all his life in the area around Warmun Community. His works focus on the origins, ceremonies and ancestral figures of the East Kimberley, merging the spiritual and physical landscape in paintings that bring to life the forms and colours of the land through textured ochre and bold designs. Distinctive dotting defines the landscape forms, illustrates the country and suggests the presence of ancestors and ceremonies. The occurrence of body markings in his work alludes to his ritual seniority.

Britten is most renowned for his depictions of Purnululu - also known as the Bungle Bungles - of which he was cultural custodian. Throughout his career he constantly drew inspiration from this land, painting Purnululu as dark clusters of dome shaped mountains, layered with glistening white trails of dots.