Emily Kame Kngwarreye
Emily Kame Kngwarreye Untitled (Alhalker) 1992, Art Gallery of New South Wales © Estate of Emily Kame Kngwarreye/Copyright Agency
Untitled (Alhalker) 1992
Through her seemingly abstract paintings, Emily Kame Kngwarreye has played an instrumental role in bringing international attention to Aboriginal art. For many, she has provided a means through which to see Country, or perhaps more importantly to feel it. Her evocative, atmospheric landscapes reverberate with the sentience and cultural significance of Country.
Alhalker, to the west of Utopia in the Northern Territory, was the Country of Kngwarreye’s birth and the foundation of her art practice. It was also the location to which she held cultural responsibilities. For Kngwarreye, this innate connection to Alhalker directly correlated to her extraordinary success as an artist.
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K–6 discussion questions
Look at Untitled (Alhalker) and try squinting your eyes. Which colours come forward? Describe the forms and shapes you can see. Imagine seeds scattering on the breeze or stars in the night sky. What other things does this field of dots remind you of?
Use a viewfinder to isolate sections of this painting. Is there more than one colour in each dot? Describe the brushstrokes. Are they feathery or hard-edged? What sort of brush do you think the artist used? Try to re-create the actions she may have used.
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K–6 activities
Kngwarreye’s painting is complex and layered, referencing all aspects of her world including underground networks of yam roots. Research plant root systems and draw or paint the way the roots of a plant near you might look. Draw a place you know well, showing what is invisible as well as what can be seen – for example, the electrical wiring or plumbing behind a wall, or the clothes in a wardrobe.
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7–12 discussion questions
Examine Untitled (Alhalker) from close up and further away. Assess how the artist has created depth and scale. Notice colour, texture and composition. Describe the season and physical environment evoked. Brainstorm words to suggest the painting’s action and energy.
Kngwarreye described the subject of her painting as the ‘whole lot’, encompassing the physical, spiritual and cultural complexity of her Country. Is abstraction more suited to the breadth of such a project than figuration? Explain your answer.
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7–12 activities
Create a painting of place using colour alone, without lines to enclose the different shapes. Notice effects of light and shade and experiment with colours that recede or come forward to create foreground and depth. Assess the success of your painting in capturing the mood of this place.
Make a series of realistic drawings of interesting objects. Photograph or photocopy and enlarge sections to create details of the original drawings. Arrange these sections in a balanced and rhythmic composition and display as a series. Are they abstract or representational? Discuss.