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 | Born: Unknown Language Group: Alyawarre Country: Atnwengerrp, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs Medium: Acrylic on Canvas and Linen Subjects: Awelye (Women's Ceremony and Body Paint Designs), Anemangkerr (Small Melon) |
Geyla began painting in 2004 with her sister Molly after being encouraged by a very large extended family of artists to experience the pleasure of teaching her stories in a creative way. Geyla is the younger sister of the late Minnie Pwerle, one of Australia's most renowned artists.
Collections
Mbantua Gallery Permanent Collection, Alice Springs
Exhibitions
| 2005 | Permanent exhibition and collection, DACOU Australia, Rosewater, SA |
| 2005 | Group exhibition, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT 2005 Gallery Savah, Sydney, NSW |
| 2006 | Group Exhibition, 'The Pwerle Sisters' Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC |
| 2006 | Group Exhibition, 'The Pwerle Sisters' Artmob Gallery, Hobart, TAS |
| 2006 | APS Bendi Lango Art Exhibition, Rio Tinto Offices, Melbourne, VIC |
| 2007 | Dacou Adelaide, Port Adelaide, SA 2007 'Standing on Ceremony', Tandanya Cultural Institute, Adelaide, SA |
| 2007 | 'Utopia in New York' Robert Steele Gallery, New York. USA |
| 2007 | University of NSW, Shalom Department, Kensington, NSW |
| 2007 | 'Desert Diversity', Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC |
| 2007 | Group Exhibition, Australian Embassy, Washington, USA |
| 2007 | 'Treasures of the Spirit - Investing in Aboriginal Art', Tandanya Cultural Institute, Adelaide SA |
| 2007 | APS Bendi Lango Art Exhibition with Rio Tinto, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, QLD |
| 2007 | 'New Works from Utopia', Space Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA |
| 2008 | 'Utopia Discoveries', Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC |
| 2008 | Group travelling exhibition to major cities in Australia, 'EWB Elements', presented by DACOU in conjunction with Dreamtime Art and Engineers Without Borders |
| 2008 | Solo Exhibition 'Gayla Pwerle - Fruits of the Desert', DACOU, Melbourne, VIC |
| 2008 | 'Canterbury Art Exhibition', Contemporary Australian Art, VIC |
| 2009 | 'Walking Together to Aid Aboriginal Health', Shalom Gamarada Aboriginal Art Exhibition, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW |
| 2009 | 'Utopia, Colour's of the Desert', Gongpyeong Art Space in conjunction with DACOU, Australian Embassy in Korea & Crossbay Gallery, Seoul, KOREA |
| 2010 | 'Utopia' Group Exhibition, DACOU Melbourne, VIC |
| 2010 | 'McCulloch's Aboriginal Art - The Summer Show', group exhibition, Salt Contemporary Art, Queenscliff, VIC |
| 2010 | 'Desert Rhythms', group exhibition, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC |
| 2010 | 'A Summer Exhibition from The Lands', group exhibition, McCulloch's Aboriginal Art and Flinders Village Café, Flinders, VIC |
| 2003 | 'The Pwerle Sisters' Group Exhibition DACOU Australia, Melbourne VIC |
Awards
| 2005 | Finalist - The 22nd Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA), Darwin, NT |
| 2008 | Finalist - The 25th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA), Darwin, NT |
The bold linear pattern of stripes and cures throughout Geyla's painting, illustrates Awelye (Women's Ceremonial Body Paint Design). After smearing their bodies with animal fat, the women trace these designs onto their breasts, arms and thighs, singing as each woman takes her turn to be 'painted-up.' Their songs relate to the dreaming stories of ancestral travel and other totemic plants, animals and natural forces. Awelye demonstrates respect for the land. In performing these ceremonies they ensure well-being and happiness within their communities.
Although Geyla enjoys using many vivid colours in her paintings, the traditional colours used during ceremony for her dreaming stories from Atnwengerrp country are red and white. Atnwengerrp lies in the heartland of Alyawarr country, about 200 kilometres to the north-east of Alice Springs. The Awelye in Geyla's painting is associated with Anthep (Ceremonial Dance).
