EMILY PWERLE, Awelye Atnwengerrp, 2008

EMILY PWERLE Alyawarre language, born c.1922 Awelye Atnwengerrp, 2008 acrylic on linen 200 x 400 cm inscribed verso: DG 08741, Emily Pwerle, 'Awelye Atnwengerrp', 08, 400x198cm PROVENANCE Dacou Gallery, Victoria, Cat No. DG08741 Corporate Collection, Victoria A magnificent and expansive celebration of colour, Awelye Atnwengerrp exemplifies Emily Pwerle's exuberant approach to contemporary painting. Across the vast canvas, a vibrant interplay of layered marks and rhythmic gestures create a richly textured composition of remarkable energy and visual presence. Born around 1922 at Atnwengerrp in the Utopia region of Central Australia, Emily Pwerle is an Anmatyerre and Alyawarre woman whose artistic practice is deeply connected to her ancestral Country. Utopia is home to the renowned Emily Kame Kngwarreye (Emily Kam Kngwarray). The younger sister of the late Minnie Pwerle and aunt of artist Barbara Weir, she began painting on canvas in 2004, developing a distinctive visual language that reflects generations of cultural knowledge. Her work has since been exhibited widely in Australia and internationally. Pwerle's paintings centre on Awelye Atnwengerrp, women's ceremony and the ceremonial body designs associated with her Country. Traditionally painted in ochre on women's bodies, these designs are reinterpreted through bold acrylic colour, energetic line and intricate pattern. In the present work, the accumulation of gestural marks generates an extraordinary sense of movement, with individual strokes combining to form an immersive and cohesive whole. Monumental in scale and striking in its chromatic richness, Awelye Atnwengerrp is a compelling example of Pwerle's distinctive artistic practice, translating the enduring significance of women's ceremony and connection to Country into a powerful contemporary visual expression. © Emily Pwerle / Copyright Agency, 2026

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