A growing appreciation for the painters of Utopia has seen a rise in the number of exhibitions showcasing their artwork, including Classics from the Golden Age of Utopia at the S.H. Ervin Gallery in Sydney, with paintings by Emily Kngwarreye, Gloria Petyarre and and Ada Bird Petyarre along with other peers from Utopia (showing until 14 September) and the recent exhibition of Emily’s artworks at the National Gallery of Australia, and now showing at the Tate Gallery, London. The National Museum of Australia mounted a retrospective of Emily Kngwarreye back in 2008 which also travelled to Japan.
Please find links below to a series of reviews for your interest and we welcome your visit to Lauraine Diggins Fine Art throughout September to view a selection of paintings by leading artists from Utopia. Preview the exhibition here.
JOHN MCDONALD – S.H. Ervin exhibition: …there was a time in the 1990s when Utopia was home to some of Australia’s most important living artists. The best work that emerged from this tiny settlement in the centre of the continent was jaw-dropping and is now selling for huge sums. https://www.everythingthe.com/p/classics-from-the-golden-age-of-utopia?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-restack-comment&r=4cgyu3&triedRedirect=true
THE GUARDIAN: The Indigenous Australian artist started painting as an old woman, making over 3,000 extraordinary works in just a few years. Emerging from a profound sense of place, they leave the viewer teetering with wonder. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/jul/08/emily-kam-kngwarray-review-tate-modern-london-indigenous-australian-artist
JOHN MCDONALD – Tate exhibition: Emily in London – not a new TV series, but an historic moment for Australian art. For the very first time, Tate Modern is hosting a solo exhibition by an artist from the former colony. Inevitably, the artist is Emily Kame Kngwarreye – “that old lady” from a tiny community in the very heart of Australia, who passed away in 1996 but left a reputation that has continued to expand across the planet. Artists such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd and Fred Williams may feature in the Tate’s collections, but no Australian has previously been the subject of a survey at its flagship gallery, Tate Modern, which is currently celebrating its 25th birthday. https://www.everythingthe.com/p/emily-kam-kngwarray?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-restack-comment&r=4cgyu3&triedRedirect=true
ARTNET: Emily Kam Kngwarray’s Market Booms. Prices for the prolific Australian artist’s works are rising swiftly as institutions mount major shows. https://news.artnet.com/multimedia/art-market-minute-jul-21-2669263
JOHN MCDONALD – NGA exhibition: There can be no doubt about the exceptional talent of “that old lady”, as she is described by her relatives. The best of her work is simply breathtaking. One marvels at Emily’s ability to switch effortlessly between styles, her self-confidence, the speed and vigour with which she applied the paint. All the detailed studies of her homeland in Central Australia, all the minute discussions of her motifs such as the yam and the emu, cannot explain her natural ability. If the rest of the world is clamouring to see more of Emily, it’s because there’s nobody like her. https://www.johnmcdonald.net.au/2023/emily-kam-kngwarray/
