Abie Loy Kemarre Biography
Abie Loy Kemarre was born in 1972 at Utopia Station approximately 250km north-east of Alice Springs. Abie lives at Mosquito Bore along with her family. Her grandmother is the acclaimed, Kathleen Petyarre. Abie speaks Eastern Anmatyerre and has been painting since 1994. Her work is representational of the Bush Hen travelling through the country looking for bush seeds that are scattered over the land as is illustrated by the fine dotting. She also depicts body designs used in traditional women's sacred ceremonies. The body paint used consists of natural ochres that are applied with the fingers by the women. These ceremonies are performed with song and dance cycles telling stories of the Bush Hen Dreaming. The Bush Hen Dreaming Trail goes to Mosquito Bore and stops there. This Bush Hen travels through the country looking for bush plums and bush tomatoes that bear a yellow fruit called Arkitjira. Bush plums are also found in this area and are eaten by both the people of this area and the Bush Hen. Abie’s works are held in major collections all over the world and she has been exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. Collections (selection) The Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australia.Festival of Arts Foundation Collection, Adelaide, South Australia.The Adelaide University Art Collection, South Australia.The Levi-Kaplan Collection, Seattle, USA.The Kelton Foundation, Los Angeles, USA.The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commission Collection.The National Gallery of Victoria, Victoria.Kerry Stokes Collection, Perth, Western Australia.Private Collections Awards (selection) 1997, finalist in 14th Telstra NATSIAA2001, finalist in 18th Telstra NATSIAA
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