Kudditji Paintings In Sydney
A rare solo exhibition of 30 paintings by Kudditji Kngwarreye will be showing at the Kate Owen Gallery from 15th May – 8th June.
Paintings by the eighty year old legend Kudditji are hot property right now, both here and internationally, as his highly individual works soar in popularity. Like his sister Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Kudditji (pronounced goo-beh-chee), seems set to take his place as one of Australia’s foremost indigenous artists.
Kudditji has participated in International exhibitions and became known for depictions of his dreamings, particularly those related to the law of his Emu ancestors. When he began painting about 1986, he was encouraged to paint in the fashionable style of the time, executing works with detailed infill. Years later he came to find his current style of abstract imagery, bold colour use and intuitive interplay with space and form. Initially this style was not welcomed by Galleries and for a time he returned to his traditional style of work. He later resumed his exploration into the abstract and continues this style of work today.
Kudditji’s dreamings have profoundly evolved into extraordinary juxtaposed colour fields – startling in both composition and hue. Harsh or soft but always surprising, his painterly style maps out the creation, his country, and his traditional dreamings.
While his spatial, painterly compositions have a Rothko-esque quality to them, the work of this Anmatyerre elder from the Northern Territory is clearly a unique Australian voice.
The show will consist of pieces of various sizes, hues and price ranges. Juxtaposed colour fields make each piece a statement on its own. Works range in size from 60 centimetres square to approximately 3.5 meters by 2 meters, and there is a good range in between, with many sizeable works. Each piece has its own colour palette: One piece will have fiery reds and oranges and another will be executed in subdued tones of blue. Many are challenging to the western eye; for example, a strange orange rectangle amid calm fields of blue. At prices ranging from fifteen hundred to twenty five thousand dollars, this is a chance to acquire a Kudditji while they are still affordable.
His highly intuitive and gestural method of painting, together with his vibrant, colour saturated spaces is groundbreaking in Aboriginal art, and although he is already well collected it is felt by many industry insiders that his work is poised for a major market leap. This is an exhibition not to be missed!
The Kudditji Kngwarreye show opens May 15th from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Kate Owen Gallery, 680 Darling Street, Rozelle, and continues until June 8th. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 12 to 6 p.m. or by appointment.
