Artist: Diane Dawson
Size: 139 x 89 cm Acrylic on canvas , #23-111
Diane Dawson -Katu-nguiṟu walunyangany
Katu-nguiṟu walunyangany ngura palya ngaṟanyangka munu ngura kuṉpu, itjanu puḻka ngaṟanyangka. (Looking down from above onto a beautiful and enduring landscape, rich in biodiversity).
This is a big painting where I am thinking about my beautiful country and all the many stories that have been passed down to me by my mother and father. I am looking from a bird’s eye view, like when I sit in the small aeroplane looking down on my Country. I am also thinking about how our Country is changing, over the last few years it is getting hotter out here and many animals and plants are dying and not returning.
Born in Amata on the APY lands of South Australia Dawson belongs to the Pitantjatjara language and culture group and comes from a family of well known Irrunytju artists. Her mother, Alkawari Dawson painted Kalaya Wati Tjukurpa (Emu Man story) which relates to the country of her birth and her father, Nyakul Dawson was a highly regarded cultural man, artist and ngangkari (traditional healer). Dawson is a passionate and versatile artist who explores a variety of styles including traditional tjukurpa (ancestral stories) passed down by her parents. Dawson has recently been exploring landscapes in her own contemporary style, capturing the country around Irruntju community through acrylic, watercolour and sculpture.
