Country

Kudditji Kngwarreye

c. 1928

2017

Anmatyerre

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

Acrylic on Canvas and Linen

Country, Ankerre (Emu Dreaming)

Kudditji was the brother of the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye. As an Anmatyerre Elder and custodian of many important Dreaming stories, Kudditji Kngwarreye earned a reputation as an innovator and consummate colourist. He began painting in 1986, around the same time as his renowned sister, the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye, who transformed the Indigenous Fine Art Movement.

Kudditji's country, Alhalkere, is located in the remote Utopia region, about 250 kilometers northeast of Alice Springs. After a traditional upbringing and initiation, Kudditji quickly adapted to Western civilization, forging a successful career as a highly regarded stockman. He also worked in mineral and gold mines in the region before dedicating himself to painting.

Kudditji's paintings reflect a style he developed starting in 2003, when he began exploring a technique known as the dump dump, or dump dot, made famous by his sister Emily. While there are similarities between their works, Kudditji's soft, mesmerising landscapes of his country are unmistakably his own. His paintings, celebrated through successful solo exhibitions in Australia and London, portray romantic images of his country, highlighting the color and form of the earth and landscape, the depth of the sky, and the shimmering summer heat, all of which express his deep knowledge and love for his land.