Awelye : The legacy of Utopia
Awelye can be translated as ‘women’s ceremony’, but it is a multifaceted concept. It has been called ‘performance-based knowledge’ by anthropologists, and encompasses music, song, dance, ritual objects, ground painting and body painting designs done in ceremony, storytelling, knowledge, education, entertainment, maintenance of Country, artistic expression and expression of family and personal relations. Awelye is a core fundamental practice of these societies, transmitting the deep knowledge, spiritual practice and community customs of the past into the present and future generations.
(Extract from exhibition catalogue essay by Emily McCulloch Childs)
The region of Utopia, 290km northeast of Alice Springs is home to the Alyawarre and Anmatyerre people and is well known for its contemporary art movement. The groundbreaking Eastern Anmatyerre artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye (1910-1996), now often described as “Australia's most famous artist”, is the first Australian artist to be accorded a solo retrospective at London's Tate Modern.
One of Kngwarreye’s main subjects was Awelye. Called “performance-based knowledge” by anthropologists, Awelye encompasses music, song, dance, ceremony, storytelling, knowledge, education, entertainment, maintenance of Country, artistic expression and expression of family and personal relations. Kngwarreye's work fostered a continuing legacy of Utopia's women painters.
As art writers and gallerists, Everywhen Art's Susan McCulloch and Emily McCulloch Childs have had a 30+-year working relationship with Utopia's artists, visiting their Country and documenting their lives and art over several generations.
Awelye: the legacy of Utopia features paintings by 13 leading next generation artists. Their work, like that of Emily Kame Kngwarreye, resonates with vibrancy and colour as they sing the strength and beauty of Awelye into painted form.
EXHIBITING ARTISTS: Annie Hunter Petyarre, Barbara Weir, Belinda Golder Kngwarreye, Bernardine Kemarre, Caroline Petrick Ngwarreye, Charmaine Pwerle, Colleen Wallace Nungurrayi, Emily Pwerle, Janet Golder Kngwarreye, Jeannie Mills Pwerle, Katie Rumble Petyarre, Lizzie Moss Pwerle, Minnie Pwerle.
OPENING EVENT: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8 AT 2pm
CURATORS TALK + MINI ART PARADE
Susan McCulloch and Emily McCulloch Childs Curators talk Awelye; the legacy of Utopia plus mini art parade of newly arrived works featuring Janet Golder Kngwarreye's new series - Alhalkere Country - the country she shares with both her late grandfather Kudditji Kngwarreye and Emily Kame Kngwarreye.
RSVP info@everywhenart.com.au
BOOK ON EVENTBRITE HERE
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Annie Hunter PetyerreWomen's Ceremony , 2023acrylic on linen90 x 118 cm
35 3/8 x 46 1/2 in$ 3,800.00 -
Barbara WeirMother's Country, 2001acrylic on linen137 x 150 cm
54 x 59 1/8 in$ 5,900.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeYam Story, 2025acrylic on canvas110 x 198 cm
43 1/4 x 78 in$ 4,500.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeYam Story, 2025acrylic on canvas95 x 150 cm
37 3/8 x 59 in$ 2,700.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeBush Plum , 2025acrylic on canvas100 x 150 cm
39 3/8 x 59 in$ 3,300.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeBush Plum, 2022acrylic on linen102 x 200 cm
40 1/8 x 78 3/4 in$ 4,500.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeBush Yam Flowers, 2025acrylic on linen130 x 55 cm
51 1/8 x 21 5/8 in$ 1,400.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeBush Plum, 2025acrylic on linen49 x 120 cm
19 1/4 x 47 1/4 in$ 1,300.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeBush Yam , 2025acrylic on linen100 x 207 cm
39 3/8 x 81 1/2 in$ 4,500.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeBush Plum Flowers, 2023acrylic on canvas95 x 118 cm
37 3/8 x 46 1/2 in$ 2,200.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeBush Flowers, 2025acrylic on linen101 x 198 cm
39 3/4 x 78 in$ 3,800.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeMy Country , 2023acrylic on linen91 x 91 cm
35 7/8 x 35 7/8 in$ 2,400.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarrreyeMy Country , 2022acrylic on canvas91 x 152 cm
35 7/8 x 59 7/8 in$ 3,400.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeMy Country, 2022acrylic on linen102 x 112 cm
40 1/8 x 44 1/8 in$ 2,900.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeAlhalkere - My Countryacrylic on canvas100 x 95 cm
39 3/8 x 37 3/8 in$ 1,990.00 -
Belinda Golder KngwarreyeMy Father's Country, 2025acrylic on linen93 x 128 cm
36 5/8 x 50 3/8 in$ 2,400.00 -
Bernadine KemarreBush Medicine Leaves, 2025acrylic on canvas96 x 95 cm
37 3/8 x 37 3/4 in$ 2,200.00 -
Bernadine KemarreBush Medicine Leaves , 2025acrylic on canvas146 x 95 cm
57 1/2 x 37 3/8 in$ 2,500.00 -
Bernadine KemarreBush Medicine Leaves , 2018acrylic on linen95 x 90 cm
37 3/8 x 35 3/8 in$ 1,900.00 -
Caroline Petrick NgwarreyeMy Beautiful Country, 2025acrylic on linen115 x 194 cm$ 5,700.00
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Caroline Petrick NgwarreyeMy Beautiful County , 2025acrylic on linen140 x 197cm$ 6,300.00
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Caroline Petrick NgwarreyeMy Beautiful Country , 2025acrylic on linen90 x 144 cm
35 3/8 x 56 3/4 in$ 4,500.00 -
Charmaine PwerleAwelyeacrylic on canvas90 x 180 cm
35 3/8 x 70 7/8 in$ 4,600.00 -
Charmaine PwerleAwelye - Women's Ceremony, 2025acrylic on linen90 x 150 cm
35 3/8 x 59 in$ 4,400.00 -
Charmaine PwerleAwelye Atnwengerrp, 2024acrylic on canvas69 x 88 cm
27 1/8 x 34 5/8 in$ 2,200.00 -
Charmaine PwerleAwelye Atnwengerrp, 2024acrylic on linen64 x 100 cm
25 1/4 x 39 3/8 in$ 1,800.00 -
Charmaine PwerleAwelye Atnwengerrp, 2025acrylic on linen84 x 80 cmSold
33 1/8 x 31 1/2 in -
Colleen Wallace NuungurrayiLadies Dancing in Ceremony, 2025acrylic on canvas69 x 96 cm
27 1/8 x 37 3/4 in$ 1,790.00 -
Colleen Wallace NungurrayiLadies Dancing in Ceremony, 2025acrylic on canvas90 x 76 cm
35 3/8 x 29 7/8 in$ 1,790.00 -
Emily PwerleAwelye - Women's Ceremony , 2024acrylic on canvas100 x 150 cm
39 3/8 x 59 in$ 4,900.00 -
Emily PwerleAwelye - Women's Ceremony , 2023acrylic on canvas70 x 120 cm
27 1/2 x 47 1/4 in$ 2,450.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeAlhalkere Country , 2025acrylic on linen110 x 93cm
43 1/4 x 36 5/8 in$ 2,600.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeBush Yam Alhalkere Country, 2025acrylic on linen120 x 200 cm
47 1/4 x 78 3/4 in$ 5,200.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeBush Yam Alhalkere Country , 2025acrylic on linen100 x 150 cm$ 3,550.00
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Janet Golder KngwarreyeMy Country, 2022acrylic on linen96 x 150 cm
37 3/4 x 59 in$ 3,200.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeMy Father's Country, 2025acrylic on linen45 x 95 cm
17 3/4 x 37 3/8 in$ 1,100.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeMy Father's Country, 2025acrylic on linen134 x 95 cm
52 3/4 x 37 3/8 in$ 3,400.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeMy Father's Country, 2025acrylic on linen46 x 95 cm
18 1/8 x 37 3/8 in$ 1,100.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeMy Country, 2023acrylic on canvas120 x 200 cm
47 1/4 x 78 3/4 in$ 6,600.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeMy Country, 2022acrylic on linen91 x 152 cm
35 7/8 x 59 7/8 in$ 2,900.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeAlhalkere Country, 2025acrylic on canvas135 x 100 cm
53 1/8 x 39 3/8 in$ 3,760.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeAlhalkere - My Countryacrylic on canvas95 x 125 cm
37 3/8 x 49 1/4 in$ 2,760.00 -
Janet Golder KngwarreyeAlhalkere Country, 2025acrylic on canvas74 x 198 cm
29 1/8 x 78 in$ 3,900.00 -
Jeannie Mills PwerleYam Dreaming, 2023acrylic on canvas89 x 118 cm
35 x 46 1/2 in$ 2,500.00 -
Katie Rumble PetyarreBush Plum, 2022acrylic on canvas95 x 90 cm
37 3/8 x 35 3/8 in$ 1,600.00 -
Lizzie Moss PwerleDancing Lines, 2023acrylic on linen90 x 120 cm
35 3/8 x 47 1/4 in$ 3,900.00 -
Minnie PwerleAwelye (Womens Ceremony), 2002acrylic on linen90 x 150 cm
35 3/8 x 59 1/8 in$ 14,500.00
