‘Sunday Arts’ today showed a short documentary on Emily Kame Kngwarrey.
This wonderful old lady started cloth batik painting at the age of 70.
She wasn’t considered much of an artist by the other Utopia batik painters because her work was free and spontaneous rather than tightly drawn little images.
She moved to canvas and immediately began producing magnificent works which became the prevalent Utopia painting style.
The television piece showed 120 of the late Emily’s paintings, and included her first painting on canvas, Emu Woman. Australians can see the exhibition for themselves at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra from August 22.
I have previously written about Emily and other Utopian artists on my site at Australiannativeart.com.
