View artwork by Kathleen Kngale
Born: c 1933 at Utopia Homestead and sadly passed away in 2021.
Skin Name: Kngale (also spelt Ngal, Kngal, Ngale, Ngala)
Language Group: Anmatyerre
Region: Camel Camp, Utopia, Northern Territory
Mediums: Silk, Wooden Sculpture, Acrylic Painting
Dreaming: Bush Plum
Husband: Paddy Motorbike Pwerle
Brothers/ Sisters: Polly Kngale, Angelina Pwerle, Molly Kngale, Leith Kngale
Children: Elizabeth, Andy, Janie, Matthew – all Mpetyane
Collections: Kerry Stokes Collection
Kathleen Kngale was born in approximately 1933 and is one of the senior boss women on Utopia. Her language is Anmatyerre and she is married to the artist and sculptor, Paddy Motorbike.
She lives at the outstation of Camel Camp with her large family and sisters artist Polly Kngale, Maisie Kngale and artist Angeline Pwerle Kngale. Like her sisters, Kathleen is a senior custodian for the Bush Plum – Arnwekety – in her country of Arlparra although all sisters have very different techniques for expressing their dreaming.
Kathleen started her career in batik before she was introduced to paint and canvas. She is an extremely fine painter and has exhibited both nationally and internationally. She was a finalist in the 2000 and 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards.
2000 – Urapunja artists in Brisbane, Micheal Sourgnes
2000 – Out of the Desert, Desert Gallery Sydney
2001 – Utopia a Special Painting Place, Bett Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania
2001 – Desert Mob, Araluen Galleries, NT
2001 – Bush Plum Dreaming, Indigenart, Perth, WA
2002 – Two Sisters, Kathleen and Polly, Lorraine Diggings, Melbourne
2002 – Australian Modern, Fondazione Mudima, Milan, Italy
2004 – Desert Mob, Araluen Galleries, NT
2006 – Lorraine Diggins exhibition, London
2006 – Senior Women of Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane
2007 – Patterns of Power, Art from the Eastern Desert, Simmer on the Bay Gallery, Sydney
2007 – Desert Song, Brush with Art Festival, Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia
2008 – Power of Place, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute Inc.
2008 – Emily Kngwarreye and Her Legacy, Tokyo, Japan