Elizabeth Kunoth Kngwarray

1961 - Present

Biography

ELIZABETH KNGWARRAY 1961 -
Region: North Eastern Central Australia
Residence: Atneltyeye, Utopia
Country: Atnangkere
Language: Anmatyerr

Elizabeth is the daughter of the late Nancy Petyarr, one of the celebrated Petyarr sisters widely recognised as important painters of the Utopia region. Elizabeth lives at Mosquito Bore with her husband Cowboy Loy Pwerl who is also a painter. She has only been painting since 2005.

Elizabeth creates images evolving from the leaf, seed and flower of the Bush Yam, a tuber plant, through a series of tiny coloured flicks that undulate across the canvas. In her paintings, she reveals the wind moving through the yam plant, producing a beautiful and captivating sense of movement.

Exhibitions

2023
Finalist, Ravenswood Australian Women's Art Prize, NSW

2022
Finalist, John Leslie Art Prize, Gippsland Art Gallery, 10 Sep – 27 Nov

2017
Lauraine Diggins Fine Art Collectors’ Exhibition, Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, Melbourne, 3 June – 29 July

2016
Lauraine Diggins Fine Art Collectors’ Exhibition, Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, Melbourne, 6 Aug – 17 Sep
Highly Commended, 39^th Alice Prize, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, 15 April – 16 June

2014
Narrativa Herióca - Pintura Aborígine do Deserto Australiano
Renaissance Hotel, São Paulo, Brazil & Arca Urbana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2013
Finalist, 62^nd Blake Prize, University of NSW Galleries, Sydney, 18 Oct – 16 Nov
A Private View: Art Collecting in the City of Glen Eira, Glen Eira City Council Gallery, 9 – 26 May
From Van Diemen’s Land to the MCG, Images of Colonial Hobart Town to Melbourne Now, Lauraine Diggins
Fine Art, 29 June – 10 Aug

2012
23^rd Tattersalls Landscape Art Prize 2012, Brisbane
Outback Open Art Prize, Broken Hill Regional Gallery, 2012

2011
22^nd Tattersall’s Landscape Art Prize 2011, Brisbane

2010
21^st Tattersall’s Landscape Art Prize 2010, Brisbane
59th Blake Prize, National Art School Gallery, 3 September - 2 October 2010 Sydney
Wynne Prize for Landscape Painting, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

2009
Making Their Mark: Elizabeth Kunoth Kngwarray and Genevieve Kemarr Loy, Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, Melbourne

2008
Impulse to Paint: The Artists of Iylenty, Utopia, Lauraine Diggins Fine Art
The Churchie National Emerging Art Award, Morris Hall at Churchie (Anglican Church Grammar School), East Brisbane
Wynne Prize for Landscape, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Paddington Art Prize 2008, University of New South Wales, Sydney
Moscow World Fine Art Fair, Manege, Moscow, Russia
Sydney Art & Antiques Fair 2008, Sydney

2007
Visions of Utopia, Cooee Aboriginal Art, Sydney
Memory As Landscape, Masterpiece @ IXL, Hobart
Utopia Today, Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, Melbourne
Fisher's Ghost Art Award 2008, Campbelltown City Council, Campbelltown

Achievements, Collections & Commissions

ACHIEVEMENTS:

2008
The Churchie National Emerging Art Award, Winner (Painting Category)
Wynne Prize for Landscape, Finalist
Paddington Art Prize 2008, Finalist
Fisher's Ghost Award 2008, Finalist

COLLECTIONS:
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Art Gallery of South Australia
Moree Plains Gallery, Moree, NSW
Lauraine Diggins Collection

Bibliography

Barilo von Reisberg, Eugene, Impulse to Paint: The Artists of Iylenty, Utopia, Malakoff Fine Art Press, Melbourne, 2008 (exhibition catalogue)