Katjarunkanyi – Breaking Dawn

Betty Chimney was born in Port Augusta and grew up in Coober Pedy before coming to live in Indulkana as a young girl. A long-time artist and director of Iwantja Arts, where she works at the forefront of the Indigenous-owned and -governed art centre’s innovative and exuberant new movement in First Nations art, Chimney draws inspiration for her work from her ancestral Yankunytjatjara country and a determination to maintain her strong connection to Country and culture.

Iwantja is the name of a creek where the Indulkana Community was established, running from high up in the rocky ridge all the way down to the community. There is a tjukitji (soakage) there, and different tjukula (rock-holes), too – both important water sources for Aṉangu people before there were bores or water tanks. There is also a very special site: a specific tree that holds the Tjurki (native owl) Tjukurpa. Indulkana artists’ paintings include all these sites, and their colours and marks reflect the way the landscape changes from the rocky ridge to the sandy creek beds.

In addition to her own painting practice, Chimney also works on large-scale collaborative paintings with her daughter, Raylene Walatinna, continuing a tradition of older women passing on their important knowledge of Tjukurpa (Aṉangu cultural stories) and Ngura (Country) to younger women.

A three-time Wynne Prize finalist, Chimney will present her next solo exhibition at Michael Reid Sydney in September, coinciding with her showing in this year’s Sydney Contemporary art fair.

Preview catalogues and early acquisitions are now available by request. Please email: tobymeagher@michaelreid.com.au