Puuya Kuntha - Strong Heart

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.