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MB032190

Awelye (Women's Ceremony) for Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard)

Myrtle Petyarre

Myrtle Petyarre

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Medium
Acrylic on Canvas
Size
90 x 45cm
Year Painted
2006
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MB032190

Awelye (Women's Ceremony) for Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard)

Info

Catalogue Number:MB032190 ,Width: ,Height:

Info

Catalogue Number:
MB032190

Artist Profile

Myrtle was one of the famous 'Petyarre Sister', sister of Ada, Gloria, Nancy, Ka…

Artist Profile

Artist Profile

Myrtle Petyarre
Born:

c. 1930

Deceased:

2014

Language Group:

Anmatyerre

Country:

Atnangkere, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory

Medium:

Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Batik on Silk

Subjects:

Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard) Dreaming, Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Akatyerre (Desert Raisin), Awelye (Women's Ceremony) for Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard)

Myrtle was one of the famous 'Petyarre Sister', sister of Ada, Gloria, Nancy, Kathleen, Violet and Jean Petyarre. Like her sisters, Myrtle painted the Mountain Devil Lizard, or Arnkerrthe, which was one of the dreamings from Atnangkere and Alhalkere country.

She was involved with the Utopia Women's Batik group since its inception in the early 1970s. Her work was featured in 'A Picture Story', a project initiated by CAAMA in the late 1980s. Myrtle began painting on canvas in 1988 as part of CAAMA's Summer Project.

She was known for her bold linear patterns, which illustrated body paint designs for the Mountain Devil Lizard Story.

COLLECTIONS
The Holmes à Court Collection, Perth, WA
Mbantua Gallery Collection, Alice Springs, NT
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW
University of Queensland, Anthropology Museum, St Lucia, QLD
EXHIBITIONS
1984
1st National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1985
2nd National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1986
3rd National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1988
5th National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
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
1991
8th National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1992
Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Exhibition, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT
1994
Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Exhibition, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2001
Mountain Devil Lizard, Arnkerrthe - Myrtle, Nancy and Violet Petyarre, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
2001
Seven Sisters Petyarre, Brisbane City Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
2002
Seven Sisters, Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2002-2004
Mbantua Gallery USA exhibitions
2004-2006
Evolution of Utopia - opened by the Honorable Robert Hill, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
2005
Small Wonders, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
REFERENCES
Brody, A.
(1989) Utopia Women's Paintings The First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project 1988-89, exhib.cat., Heytesbury Holdings, Perth, WA
Brody, A.
(1990) Utopia: a Picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Holmes à Court Collection, Heytesbury Holdings, Perth, WA
Desart
(2000) The Aboriginal Art Centres of Central Australia, Putting in the Colour - Contemporary Aboriginal Textiles, Jukurrpa Books (IAD Press) ©

Information

Artist Name, Artwork Size, Medium, Year Painted,

Information

Artist Name:
Myrtle Petyarre
Artwork Size:
90 x 45cm
Medium:
Acrylic on Canvas
Year Painted:
2006
Title:
Awelye (Women's Ceremony) for Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard)
Free Shipping Worldwide!:
This painting on canvas will be shipped in a cylinder to you free of charge, worldwide! An option to have this painting 'stretched' onto a wooden frame may be available. If selected, further charges will apply and will be calculated at checkout.

Description

Myrtle paints Awelye (Women's Ceremonial and Body Paint Designs) for Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard), a gentle little lizard that is covered in thorns. For added protection it is able to camouflage itself by changing its skin colour with its surroundings. The changing of skin colour is represented by the colours used in this painting. The Arnkerrthe is very sacred to Myrtle and the people of her country. In the Dreamtime, the Arnkerrthe travelled over Myrtle's land creating all of the people, sacred sites, songs and other Dreamtime stories.

Linear designs represent Awelye. These designs are painted onto the chest, breasts, arms and thighs. Powders ground from red and yellow ochre (clays), charcoal and ash are used as body paint and applied with a flat stick with soft padding. The women sing the songs associated with their Awelye as each woman takes her turn to be 'painted-up'. Women perform Awelye ceremonies to demonstrate respect for their country and the total well-being and health of their community.

Located at
Mbantua Alice Gallery