Magdeline Payne Ngale - Ahakeye II
An exhibition by emerging Aboriginal artist Magdeline Payne Ngale depicting the Ahakeye (Bush Plum) Dreaming
Wednesday 23rd September - 31st October 2026
Following the success of her first solo exhibition with Mbantua Gallery, Magdeline Payne Ngale returns with Ahakeye II, a new collection of paintings continuing her exploration of Ahakeye (Bush Plum) Dreaming and her enduring connection to Country, family and tradition.
Magdeline Payne Ngale at work on one of her Ahakeye (Bush Plum) Dreaming artworks.
Magdeline Payne Ngale is an emerging Aboriginal artist from Mulga Bore in the Utopia region. She is the daughter of renowned artist Jean Petyarre and Brian Payne, and painting has always been part of her family life. Her artistic practice has developed through generations of knowledge, observation and creative influence.
Magdeline and her sisters, Caroline and Janella, were passed the Ahakeye (Bush Plum) Dreaming from their grandfather's country at Adelaide Bore. This important story continues to provide the foundation for Magdeline's paintings, with her works offering her own contemporary expression of the Dreaming and the Country it represents.
A defining feature of Magdeline's work is her meticulous dot-on-dot technique. Influenced by her mother-in-law and fellow artist Josepha Petrick, Magdeline adapted Josepha's distinctive dot-pattern style, with permission, to express her own Ahakeye Dreaming. Each painting is created slowly and deliberately, with layers of carefully placed dots building intricate patterns across the canvas.
The process requires patience and concentration. Magdeline begins with a pencilled outline before methodically working across the canvas, carefully adding each line of dots and gradually developing the detailed patterns that have become characteristic of her work. Her paintings are vibrant and expressive, with a diverse palette that can include bright pinks, greens, oranges, purples, yellows and many other colours. The interplay of these colours brings energy and depth to her intricate compositions and gives each artwork its own distinctive character.
Ahakeye II on Exhibition in both our Darwin and Alice Springs Galleries
Ahakeye II offers an opportunity to experience the continuing evolution of Magdeline Payne Ngale's distinctive style. Visit our Alice Springs or Darwin Gallery during the exhibition to view the collection in person, or explore the paintings online below and discover the beautiful new works of this emerging artist.