Iluwanti Ken (born 1944) is a Pitjantjatjara artist, originally from Watarru and now living in Amata, in the APY lands in South Australia.

“I paint the stories of my father’s country – Walawuru Tjukurpa – the story of the eagles. This is my tjukurpa and all of my children’s tjukurpa too.”

Iluwanti is well known for her large scale ink drawings which feature graphic depictions of mother eagles hunting. These highly detailed drawings are created using punu sticks and express her tjukurpa (Anangu cultural heritage, encompassing past, present and future). She says that birds like the walawuru (eagles) and patupiri (swallows) have lessons for Anangu women about how to care for one’s children. These birds build strong wiltjas (shelters) for their family, they hunt for food and protect their young from dangers.

Iluwanti has been a repeat-finalist in the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Telstra NATSIAA), winning the General Painting Prize in 2025 and Work Paper Award in 2020. She has also been a finalist in the Sulman Prize (2023, 2024), Wynne Prize (2026), Hadley’s Art Prize (2024), Dobell Drawing Prize (2023, 2021), and National Works on Paper Prize (2020). Iluwanti’s work has been represented in major institutional exhibitions including the TarraWarra Biennial 2025: We Are Eagles (2025), NGV Triennial (2023), Bangkok Art Biennale (2022) and Tarnanthi 2020: Open Hands at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Her work is held in numerous public collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, QAGOMA, Artbank and the Singapore Art Museum.