ReDot Fine Art Gallery in conjunction with Lockhart River Arts Indigenous Corporation presents
Puuya Kuntha - Strong Heart Irene Namok Solo
14 th January - 1 st March 2014
For a high resolution, downloadable, PDF version of the this catalogue, with pricing, please send us an email to info@redotgallery.com Thank you.
c o n t e m p o r a r y
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Quintel Beach Source : Š Lockhart River Artists
Quintel Beach Source : Š Lockhart River Artists
“My paintings are about my emotions. I paint about the bush fires and the waterholes. I paint the lagoons because we like to swim in the lagoons. I also paint about meetings times and festivals times and meeting places. We dress the kids all up and paint them all and we sit together and we yarn around the fireplace under the moonlight.�
Puuya Kuntha - Strong Heart
The ReDot Fine Art Gallery is very proud to announce the first ever exhibition in Singapore from the Lockhart River Art Centre, which in recent years has gone through a major resurgence after bursting on the scene in the mid-90s with a staple of young, inspiring, modern focused Indigenous artists, painting in an extreme modern and western approach. The artists of Lockhart River Art Centre were identified from the very early years, both nationally and internationally, as “The Art Gang”. The Art Gang formed in 1995 with a group of young artists just out of school. In the same sense that those who worked on the roads were called the “The Road Gang”, this young group of teenagers worked on art. Lockhart River Aboriginal community is 850kms north of Cairns and is nestled between Quintel Beach and nearby lush lowland rain forest, which boasts a bird life that draws watchers from across the world. The beach is dramatic and spectacular and features as a common thread in the artists’ work. Many of the language groups from this area have traditionally lived close to the beach which has always provided an excellent source of food. Fishing is still one of the most popular pastimes at Lockhart River. Puuya Kuntha - Strong Heart, will be the first ever international solo show of Irene Namok, the mother of renowned founding Lockhart River artist Rosella Namok; whom in recent years has become an accomplished and highly collectable artist in her own right. Irene’s paintings are inspired by her close connection with local country; they are often emotional responses to the beautiful views and look-outs around Lockhart and her favourite fishing spots, where Irene especially enjoys fishing during Salmon Season. The extremely abstract nature of her work has been received with huge acclaim by the global art community and her two previous solo shows in Australia were both sold out as collectors strived to add her modernity to their Indigenous and contemporary art collections. Her work, which has been likened to the works of such greats like Gerhard Richter the abstract and photorealistic artist that took Europe by storm in the 60-70s, retains a freshness and intoxicating hold over its viewers which is remarkable given the untrained and natural origins of Irene’s painting career.
Irene comments, “I was born on Thursday Island and my grandfather was a church minister at the Old Site. I was going to get married but the man I was going to marry died. I have got six kids. Four boys and two girls, but one of my girls died so now I only have one. I like to paint about my culture because it’s all I know. The old ones have taught me and show me everything. My paintings are about my emotions. I paint about the bush fires and the waterholes. I paint the lagoons because we like to swim in the lagoons. I also paint about meetings times and festivals times and meeting places. We dress the kids all up and paint them all and we sit together and we yarn around the fireplace under the moonlight.”
Above: Locals fishing at Quintel Beach. Source : © Lockhart River Artists
Above : Irene NAMOK Source : Š Lockhart River Artists
Irene NAMOK
DOB Sunday, 24 April 1960 Language Kanthanampu
“I was born on Thursday Island and my grandfather was a church minister at the Old Site. I was going to get married but the man I was going to marry died. I have got six kids. Four boys and two girls, but one of my girls died so now I only have one. I like to paint about my culture because it’s all I know. The old ones have taught me and show me everything. My paintings are about my emotions. I paint about the bush fires and the waterholes. I paint the lagoons because we like to swim in the lagoons. I also paint about meetings times and festivals times and meeting places. We dress the kids all up and paint them all and we sit together and we yarn around the fireplace under the moonlight.”
Solo Exhibitions 2013 May, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne (Sold Out) 2010 Emerge Gallery, Perth, (Sold Out) Group Exihibitions 2012 October/November, Art Atrium, Sydney 2012 August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair - Featured in Director’s Exhibition 2011 August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (Sold Out) 2011 July, Emerge Artspace, Perth 2011 May, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne 2010 November - Booker-Lowe Gallery, Houston Texas (Sold Out) 2010 August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2010 April, “Yakai - We’re Coming”, Alcaston Gallery Melbourne (Sold Out) 2009 November, Affordable collectable works, Emerge ArtSpace, Perth 2009 August, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2009 May, Emerge Gallery Perth, (Sold Out) 2009 May, Smith and Hall, Sydney 2009 May, “Four of Us”, Wooloongabba, Brisbane.
Irene NAMOK
My Country My Rainforest Makes me Feel Good Inside Acrylic on Linen 190 x 190cm in20130705
Irene NAMOK
Pikinini Go For Swim Acrylic on Linen 198 x 108cm in20110715
Irene NAMOK
Blue Sky Water Reflection Acrylic on Linen 131 x 93cm in20130501
Irene NAMOK
Good Times with Family Acrylic on Linen 139 x 97cm in20130502
Irene NAMOK
Waterfall Thru the Rocks Acrylic on Linen 140 x 95cm in20130504
Irene NAMOK
Rainy Day Forest Acrylic on Linen 136 x 91cm in20130522
Irene NAMOK
Best Days with My Family Acrylic on Linen 92 x 89cm in20130523
Irene NAMOK
Edge of the Wetlands Acrylic on Linen 95 x 89cm in20120327
Irene NAMOK
I Love Sitting Out Yarnin on a Warm Day Acrylic on Linen 91 x 86cm in20120402
Irene NAMOK
Candle Lights Acrylic on Linen 90 x 93cm in20120503
Irene NAMOK
Sun Shines Thru the Wet Acrylic on Linen 86 x 93cm in20120936
Irene NAMOK
Some Days it Just Rains All Day Acrylic on Linen 90 x 94cm in20130223
Irene NAMOK
Watul Grass - for Making Baskets (Puunyas) Acrylic on Linen 93 x 91cm in20130411
Irene NAMOK
Hot Season on its Way Acrylic on Linen 96 x 91cm in20130710
Irene NAMOK
Hot Day Waterfall Acrylic on Linen 94 x 87cm in20111104
Irene NAMOK
Water View Acrylic on Linen 95 x 91cm in20120322
Irene NAMOK
Going Out for the Day in the Rainforest Acrylic on Canvas 67 x 45cm in20130817
Irene NAMOK
Waterfall Up in the Range Acrylic on Canvas 69 x 44cm in20130819
Irene NAMOK
Waterfall Range Acrylic on Canvas 65 x 44cm in20130825
Irene NAMOK
Rainforest Midday View Acrylic on Canvas 48 x 44cm in20130824
Irene NAMOK
Afternoon Sun Acrylic on Canvas 55 x 32cm in20130802
Irene NAMOK
Glimpse of the Falls Acrylic on Canvas 63 x 32cm in20130801
Irene NAMOK
Untitled Acrylic on Canvas 67 x 31cm in20130807
Irene NAMOK
I’m Walking in My Rainforest - View in the Afternoon Acrylic on Canvas 43 x 44cm in20130816
Irene NAMOK
Tropical View Inside Waterfall Acrylic on Canvas 47 x 26cm in20130602
Irene NAMOK
Afternoon Shadow in the Forest Full Acrylic on Canvas 51 x 21cm in20130604
Irene NAMOK
Midday View Inside Forest Acrylic on Canvas 48 x 18cm in20130603
Claudie River Source : Š Lockhart River Artists
In conjunction with
Above : Lockhart River Gang Source : Š Lockhart River Artists
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For a high resolution, downloadable, PDF version of the this catalogue, with pricing, please send us an email to info@redotgallery.com Thank you.