Sixteen Artists – 16x2

This exhibition presents two paintings each from sixteen impressive Aboriginal artists in one collection. Major Desert artists include paintings from the Men’s Tingari culture presented by Patrick Tjungurrayi and George Ward Tjungurrayi, showing the journey across country made by their Ancestral forebears. Younger artists Damien and Yilpi Marks, a husband and wife team, develop similar themes, showing the ceremonial and significant Creation events on country. The Womens’ Tingari stories are presented by Marlene Young Nungurrayi, Joylene Reid Napangardi, Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa and Lorna Ward Napanangka, showing the important ceremonial sites on their own country.

Artists depicting the shifting quality of the vast desert sandhill landscape include Lily Kelly Napangardi, Maureen Hudson Nampijinpa and Elsie Napanangka Granites. Lily Kelly’s paintings make use of black and white contrast in the fine dot work which is then broken with strong meandering ridges, while Maureen uses the subtle sandy colours to evoke her country.

Helen McCarthy Tyalmuty continues her richly coloured experiments in painting with strong forms dominating her stories of culture and change on her Daly River homelands. Anna Petyarre has also made emphatic use of strong colour in her two paintings from Utopia in Central Australia. Other Utopia artists focusing on ceremonial stories from their homelands include Polly Ngale, Charmaine Pwerle and Barbara Weir. Polly Ngale paints the Bush Plum story referring to the flowers and fruits of the plant and to the body designs used in associated ceremonies. Charmaine Pwerle has further abstracted the Awelye body paint designs made famous by her grandmother Minnie Pwerle, while Barbara Pwerle has painted references to the family clan estates relevant to Charmaine, Minnie and Barbara. These artists continue to represent the vital elements of their country and their spiritual identity. The exhibition offers the opportunity to see the range and quality of artworks produced by this group of artists and remains on show until 19 August 2015 .

Patrick Tjungurrayi
Damien & Yilpi Marks
Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa
George Ward Tjungurrayi
Lily Kelly Napangardi
Polly Ngale
Charmaine Pwerle
Maureen Hudson Nampijinpa
Helen McCarthy Tyalmuty
Anna Petyarre
Barbara Weir
Lorna Ward Napanangka
Joylene Reid Napangardi