Josie Petrick Kemarre | FireWorks Gallery

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Selected works

FW18688 Bush Tucker Dreaming	FW18689 Bush Tucker Dreaming	FW18690 Bush Tucker Dreaming
FW13292 Bush berries

Bio & CV

Born: c. 1953 Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa), NT
Language: Anmatyerre
Country: Eastern Desert
Area: Soakage Bore, Utopia NT

Josie began painting in 1990 when living in the Eastern Desert. Producing colourful, eye-catching dot paintings, Josie’s work constitutes both a modern approach to the natural landscape of her homeland, as well as discourse on traditional Aboriginal women’s stories. Josie has exhibited in various galleries, nationally and internationally, including Embassy Australia in Washington, USA (2001). She has collections in Charles Sturt University, Artbank, Sydney and National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

Story/Statement

Based on the native plants and flowers of her homeland, as well as her favorite bush tucker species at various stages of their growth, Josie’s vibrant paintings are intimately associated with Women’s Awelye (ceremony/dancing) and Women’s Dreamings.

Her Bush Berries series reveals layers of small dots that together form a vibrating and powerful scene which is simultaneously serene and vivid. After rain, the desert transforms from bareness to abundant vegetation; the women gather these edible bush berries – which are a principal food source (bush tucker) for Aboriginal people living in Central Australia – and through ceremony, celebrate fertility to ensure regrowth of vegetation. The dots are symbolic of the journey path and song lines for the bush berry after the rain.

JOSIE PETRICK KEMARRE

Born: c 1953 Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa) NT

Language: Anmatyerre

Country: Eastern Desert

Area: Soakage Bore Utopia NT

EXHIBITIONS

2011 Eclectica FireWorks Gallery Newstead QLD

2008 Beijing: A Women's Exhibition Redrock Gallery Beijing

2007 Sydney Art Fair Aranda Aboriginal Art　

2007 Shanghai Art Fair Aranda Aboriginal Art　

2006 Women’s Show Boscia Gallery Melbourne VIC　

2005 Wellington Gallery Central Hong Kong　

1999 Embassy of Australia Washington DC USA　

1999 Embassy of Australia New York City USA　

1999 United Nations New York City USA　

1999 Out of Australia Lui Hai-Su National Art Museum Shanghai China　

1995 Jinta Desert Art Sydney　

1995 Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery　

COLLECTIONS

National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne

Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery Alice Springs 　

Corrigan Collection

Charles Sturt Unviersity Collection

Redrock Gallery Melbourne

Aboriginal Art Galleries of Australia Melbourne

The Holmes a Court Collection Perth 　

Kerry Stokes Collection　

Artbank Sydney

Jinta Desert Art Sydney

Mem Aziz Collection Melbourne　

Aranda Collection

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