Kudditiji catalogue

Summer Autumn

2018

WORLD PREMIERE RETROSPECTIVE

© 2018 Kudditji Kngwarreye. All rights reserved.

#loveyourlaneway

thelanewaystkilda.com.au We are proud to be fully accessible

Summer Autumn

2018

WORLD PREMIERE RETROSPECTIVE

Aboriginal and Torres Stra advised that this exhibition images of people who hav

ait Islander visitors are n catalogue contains ve died.

Summer Autumn

2018

WORLD PREMIERE RETROSPECTIVE

Kudditji Kngwarreye Kudditji Kngwarreye (1930–2017) Region: Utopia (Alhalkere) Language: Eastern Anmatyerre Kudditji (pronounced Goo-beh-chee) Kngwarreye is known as one of Australia’s most prominent Artists. He was the brother of his famous older sister, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, whose work broke the Aboriginal art auction record in November 2017, with the sale of her work ‘Earth’s Creation’ for $2.1 million.

Kudditji, who was born in 1930 at Utopia Station, about 230 kms north east of Alice Springs, was an Anmatyerre elder and the custodian of many important Dreamings. He was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country at Utopia Station, and many of his paintings refer to sites at Boundary Bore, where men’s initiation ceremonies are performed.

Kudditji had a traditional bush upbringing and worked numerous jobs throughout the Central Desert, travelling widely and working as a stockman, and at other times working in mineral and gold mines.

During his younger days, Kudditji frequently took the young boys/men hunting emu in these lands, merging tradition with practice as part of their initiation as men. It is the land of this experience that Kudditji paints in his ‘Emu Dreamings’ and ‘My Country’ works.

Kudditji began painting in the early 1980s, and through experimentation, he moved away from ‘dot art’ to create a bold, expressive style. Major galleries were not receptive to Kudditji or his groundbreaking style, and he was encouraged to paint in a more traditional manner.

It was not until 2002 that Kudditji revisited the bold approach after seeing Emily catapulted onto the Australian and international art scene. Kudditji resumed his exploration of abstract painting with strength and expression until he ‘put down the brush’ in 2015.

The newer works have gained much acclaim throughout Australia and around the world, and he participated in many national and international exhibitions. Kudditji’s late works are mainly Emu Dreaming, one of his inherited ancestral totems, My Country and Men’s Ceremonial Dreamings from Boundary Bore. His abstract imagery, bold colour, and intuitive interplay with space and form, has ensured his name and his monumental works of art, will never be forgotten.

Biography courtesy Roy Allan, Gallery Director, Aboriginal and Modern Art Gallery of Australia (AMAGOA). © 2018. AMAGOA. All rights reserved.

My Country (Emu Dreaming) (detail). 2009. 90 cms x 90 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland, and pays homage to his totem – the emu. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

My Country (Emu Dreaming) (detail). 2009. 90 cms x 90 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland, and pays homage to his totem – the emu. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

My Country (Emu Dreaming) (detail). 2010. 152 cms x 91 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland, and pays homage to his totem – the emu. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

My Country (Emu Dreaming) (detail). 2009. 173 cms x 122 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland, and pays homage to his totem – the emu. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

Emu Dreaming (detail). 2008. 192 cms x 119 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors’ relationship to the country.

Price on application

My Country (detail). 2010. 198 cms x 134 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

Following page: Emu Dreaming (detail). 2012. 196 cms x 120 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors’ relationship to the country.

Price on application

Emu Dreaming (detail). 2008. 180 cms x 130 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors’ through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors relationship to the country.

Price on application

Emu Dreaming (detail). 2008. 180 cms x 126 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors’ through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors relationship to the country.

Price on application

Following page: Emu Dreaming (detail). 2008. 150 cms x 150 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors’ relationship to the country.

Price on application

Emu Dreaming (detail). 2008. 191 cms x 119 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors’ through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors’ relationship to the country.

Price on application

My Country Emu Dreaming (detail). 2008. 170 cms x 124 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors’ through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors’ relationship to the country.

Price on application

My Country Emu Dreaming (detail). 2008. 170 cms x 124 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors’ through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors’ relationship to the country.

Price on application

Emu Dreaming (detail). 2012. 153 cms x 94 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents the travels and law of Kudditiji’s emu ancestors, depicting the travels of the emu ancestors’ through Kudditiji’s country, and the ancestors’ relationship to the country.

Price on application

Following page: My Country (detail). 2009. 300 cms x 137 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

Following page: My Country (detail). 2010. 198 cms x 137 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

My Country (detail). 2007. 120 cms x 91 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland, and pays homage to his totem – the emu. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

My Country (detail). 2009. 91 cms x 30 cms. Acrylic on linen.

This painting represents Kudditji’s interpretation of the changing colours and formations of his ancestral desert homeland, and pays homage to his totem – the emu. Kudditji’s abstract forms reveal a rich blend of colours in patchwork formations, portraying an aerial view of the vastness of his custodial lands. Kudditji was a custodian for ceremonial sites located in his country of Utopia, where men’s initiation ceremonies are still performed.

Price on application

Important information about purchasing your painting from this exhibition The paintings in this exhibition are accompanied with true and complete provenance, including catalogue numbers, Certificates of Authenticity and, in most cases, an extensive collection of work-in-progress photographs.

The paintings in this exhibition were only secured from reputable Australian Galleries and private collectors, many of whom knew Kudditji personally.

The colour reproduction of the images in this exhibition catalogue may vary from the actual colours in the painting, and it is imperative that you view the painting in the gallery prior to confirming your purchase. Sizes and actual colour representation may vary.

We are also able to provide fully-insured national and international freight, and we can also highly recommend the gallery’s preferred stretching company. We are able to liaise with them on your behalf, and provide complete advice about the best quality stretching and framing.

If you would like more information or if you would like to purchase a painting, please email Geoffrey Williams, Founding Artistic Director, The Laneway Artspace at thelanewaystkilda@gmail.com