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 | Born: 1930 Deceased: 2010 Language Group: Anmatyerre Country: Alhalkere, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs Medium: Acrylic on Canvas and Linen Subjects: Atnwelarre (Pencil Yam) and Kame (Yam Seed), Emu and Kangaroo Dreaming, Tree Story |
Greeny, apart from being a very high ranking tribal elder in Utopia, was also the nephew of the late EmilyKame Kngwarreye. His father, Alhalkere Jack, Lindsay Bird's mother and Emily are all blood brothers and sisters. Greeny was married to Kathleen Kemarre and had four daughters.
Greeny's paintings, usually Yam Seed Dreamings, are highly sought after by collectors and galleries throughout the world. Very rarely did he digress from the basic colours, and he painted with the use of lines, medium size dots and very small dots. On occasion he had been known to use very large, splash type dot work during a period of collaborations with Emily Kame Kngwarreye (Greeny being the eldest nephew).
The colours usually indicate different stages, seasons or time e.g. Yam Seed Dreaming – before germinating, after germinating, when bearing fruit and sometimes after it has borne fruit. His paintings appeared to reflect his unpretentious personality – quietly unassuming but with that feeling of endurance and respect.
Collections
Mbantua Gallery Permanent Collection, Alice Springs
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Exhibitions
| 2000 | Combined Exhibition, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT |
| 1995 | Dreamings, DACOU Gallery, Adelaide |
| 1995 | From Beneath the Earth - Utopian Artists, DACOU Gallery, Adelaide |
| 1997 | Utopia: Contemporary Aboriginal Works, Quadrivium Gallery NSW |
| 1998 | Dreamings, Spazio Pitti Arte, Florence |
| 1998 | Dreamings,Vlaams-Europeesch Conferentiecentrum Brussels, Belgium |
| 1998 | Moseum Dorestad,Wijk bij Duurstede, The Netherlands |
| 1998 | Private Art Galleries, France |
| 1999 | Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT |
| 2000 | 'Artists of Utopia', Tandanya, SA |
| 2000 | Hogarth Galleries, 'Utopia: Tradition and Innovation Recent work by the artists of Utopia, Northern Territory |
| 2002 | 'Anmatyerre Men', World Vision, Walkabout Gallery, Sydney |
| 2002 | Light Over Utopia, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA |
| 2002 | Mbantua Gallery USA Exhibitions: Art and Soul Gallery,Nashville, Tennessee; 'The Cove Gallery'Portland, Oregon; Urban Wine Works, Portland, Oregon; Mary's Woods, Portland, Oregon (Benefit – OHSU Heart Research Centre) |
| 2003 | Mbantua Gallery USA Exhibitions: New City Merchants, Knoxville, Tennessee; Art and Soul Gallery, Nashville, Tennessee; 'The Cove Gallery' Portland, Oregon; Contemporary Aboriginal Art Event, Umpqua Bank, Portland, Oregon; Mary's Woods, Portland Oregon; Art From The Dreamtime, Portland Art Museum, Portland Oregon (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre) |
| 2003 | Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, NSW |
| 2004 | Addison Road Gallery, Marrickville, NSW |
| 2004 | Mbantua Gallery USA exhibition; Portland, Nashville, Knoxville, Greenwich, New York and Philadelphia |
| 2004 | The Utopia Men, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs |
| 2005 | Yam Dreaming – Atnwelarre, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, NT |
| 2005 | 'Small Wonders'(A collection of 1'x1' and 1'x1½' paintings), Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, N.T |
| 2004 | Evolution of Utopia, Mbantua Gallery Cultural Museum, Alice Springs |
Atnwelarre, the Pencil Yam, and Kame, the seed of this plant, are the subject of Greeny's painting. The Dreamtime stories for both of these belong to Greeny's country Alhalkere in the Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs. The Atnwelarre is a trailing herb or creeper, sometimes covering large areas, with bright green leaves, yellow flowers and long skinny yams (swollen roots). These are an important food source which can be eaten raw or cooked in hot sand and ashes.
In the Dreamtime there are two parts to the Kame story, one that belongs to Alhalkere and Atnangkere countries, and the other that belongs to Arnumarra country. Two different seeds were born that created two different species of Pencil Yam; one called Atnwelarre which belongs to Greeny's country, and the other called Arlatyeye which belongs to Arnumarra country. The Atnwelarre and Kame stories are very important Dreamtime stories for Greeny's country and ceremonies by his people are performed to ensure its productivity as a food source and life form of the ancestors.
