Lucky Morton Kngwarreye
Lucky Morton Kngwarreye
Born: 1950
Language Group: Alyawarre
Country: Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arnkawenyerr, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Batik on Silk, Wood Carving
Subjects: Ilyarnayt (Acacia Flower), Country, Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Alpite (Wild Flowers), Tharrkarr (Sweet Honey Grevillea), Rainbow Dreaming, Camp Scene, Yerrampe (Honey Ant) Dreaming
Lucky has featured in many group exhibitions since beginning her artistic career in 1977. The oldest daughter of fellow Utopian artist Mary Morton Kemarre, Lucky participated in batik workshops that were held in Utopia from 1977 to 1987 with her mother and younger siblings. Her work is represented in the Holmes à Court Collection which was exhibited extensively within Australia and abroad.
Like most other batik artists living in Utopia, Lucky made the transition to painting in the summer of 1988-9 as part of CAAMA's 'The First works on Canvas, a Summer Project'. With a more adaptable and effortless medium, Lucky continued to paint with acrylics and has traveled both to Sydney and Melbourne for exhibitions featuring her work. Lucky has also worked briefly with wood sculpture.
When Lucky was growing up she attended a bush school near Hatcher's Creek which is North East of Utopia and spent her childhood years growing up around Kurrajong Camp in Utopia and MacDonnell Downs Station. For many years, Lucky has attended Bachelor College in Alice Springs which has seen her travel to Darwin and Tenant Creek for further education.
Lucky paints an extraordinary variety of stories which she says comes from two Countries. These countries are Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arnkawenyerr of which she belongs to. Lucky can also paint the ceremonial body paint designs belonging to these countries and also her mother's country Antarrengeny.
Collections
Mbantua Gallery Collection, Alice Springs, NT
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
The Holmes à Court Collection, Perth, WA
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
Exhibitions
1989
Utopia Women's Paintings, the first Works on Canvas, A Summer Project, 1988-1989, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1990
Utopia - A Picture Story, an Exhibition of 88 works on Silk by Utopian artists, Holmes à Court Collection, toured Eire and Scotland
1990
Balance 1990 - Views - Visions - Influences, QAG, Brisbane, QLD
1991
The Eighth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1991
Australian Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
1998
Dreamings, Spazio Pitti Arte, Florence, Italy
1998
Exhibition in Art Centre Meerzigt, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
1998
Art Gallery Culture Store, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2002-2005
Regional Galleries Association of Queensland tour, QLD
2002-2004
Mbantua Gallery USA exhibitions
2003-2004
National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT
2004
Last of the 20th Century, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
2004-2006
Evolution of Utopia - opened by the Honorable Robert Hill, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
2005
Small Wonders, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
2014
Narrativa Herióca - Pintura Aborígine do Deserto Australiano - Renaissance Hotel, São Paulo, Brazil
AWARDS
2010
27th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT - Finalist
References