Description

40.6cm x 76.2cm: acrylic on canvas

Artwork is sold unstretched

Marlene Connelly

Marlene Connelly is an exciting mid-career artist from Kaltukatjara (Docker River). She was born in Tennant Creek. Her mother Bonnie Connelly moved to Kaltukatjara from Ebenezer with Marlene when she was 11 or 12. Her father is Yunkuntjatjara and she has family in Port Augusta. She has lived in Kaltukatjara since she was 12. She married Mr Smith from Warakurna and they lived together in Kaltukatjara and grew up Roxanne. Mr Smith has sadly passed away, however Marlene has found love with her current partner, Sunny Farmer.

Marlene paints important ladies tjukurpa (dreaming) of the Kaltukatjara area about the traveling of two sisters (minyma kutjara) through the ranges. This area is significant to the ladies of the Western Desert and is a meeting place for law and culture – senior women passing on their knowledge to the young women. Her unique style is reminiscent of celestial bodies, characterised by fields of coloured punu (dotting) and filled with meandering lines, circular motifs and beautiful, changing patterns. Marlene has participated in the Revelaed Exhibition in Fremantle, and is a previous director of Tjarlirli and Kaltukatjara Art. In 2021, Marlene represented Kaltukatjara art with a residency at the Gallery of Central Australia in Yulara, an experience which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Minyma Kutjara

When I am painting I am thinking about the Tjukurrpa that all the ladies know – the minyma kutjara. This country has strong culture. I am painting those ladies travelling through that gap near Kaltukatjara and at Walka, my homeland. The ladies came all the way from South Australia. Those ladies are travelling through the landscape and they are changing as they travel. At Walka, when that scary walpa (wind) comes through, they transform so they can hide. I am only painting a little bit of this story, the part that is right here. I am painting the kapi (rockholes), tali (sandhills), puli (hills) and karru (creek) of this place.