1943
Language Group:Alyawarre
Country:Antarrengeny, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Batik on Silk, Wood Sculpture
Subjects:Apeng (Desert Kurrajong Tree) Flower Dreaming, Ngkweyang (Kurrajong Seed), Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Pwenty (Men's Ceremony), Antarrengeny Country, Camp Scene, Awelye (Women's Ceremony) and Pwenty (Men's Ceremony), Ceremonial Man, Lake in Antarrenge
Katie Kemarre was born in 1943 and is an Alyawarre artist from Antarrengeny Country in the Utopia region, north-east of Alice Springs. She is recognised as one of the artists who contributed to the development of the renowned Utopia art movement.
Before moving into acrylic painting, Katie was involved in the Utopia batik movement and participated in the significant Utopia - A Picture Story exhibition, featuring 88 silk batiks by Utopian artists that toured internationally. She also took part in the 1988-89 Summer Project, which introduced many Utopia artists to painting on canvas.
Working across silk batik, acrylic on canvas and linen, and wood sculpture, Katie paints stories including Apeng (Kurrajong) Dreaming, Amern Ngkweyang (Kurrajong Seed), Awelye (Women's Ceremony and body paint designs), Pwenty (Men's Ceremony), Country and camp scenes. Her artistic practice continues to evolve while remaining deeply connected to her cultural traditions.
The designs represent the delicate flowers that can be seen covering the apeng in the summer after rain. Apeng is the Alyawarre word for the desert kurrajong tree. There is an ancient Dreamtime story belonging to apeng and its seed, ngkweyang, which lies in the heart of Alyawarre land in Katie's country, Antarrengeny, north east of Alice Springs. Ngkweyang is an important and nutritious food source. Not a habitual practice now, the Aboriginal people would collect these seeds, burn them to remove small hairs, and grind them into a paste for making damper (bread).
