Kathleen Ngale was one of the most senior Anmatyerre elders and a custodian of Arlparra in
north-eastern central Australia. Born circa 1930 in the artistically rich region of Utopia, Kathleen
was raised in a family of notable artists, including her sisters Polly and Angeline.
Ngale demonstrates great skill in pattern making in this untitled work, disguised in both
complex and simple layering of dots. This untitled painting was created in the late 1990s, when
Kathleen was experimenting with pastel colours and freer movement in her dot painting
technique. Combining both the traditional structured style of dot painting, and an adventurous
free style, Kathleen created this truly unique and expressive painting.
The wonderous swirls of pastel colours celebrate the Bush Plum, a highly valued food source in
the Utopian region. The assemblage of the desert flowers strike a dual viewpoint from above
and on the ground. This duality of form represents a journey through the wet and dry seasons,
symbolising the survival of her people’s culture in the modern world. The botanically exact
colour of the exquisite wildflowers of the region speak of her connection to country.
The exquisite palette of pastel dots are dispersed across the huge canvas, meandering through
a robust layering of pattern, conveying meaning through an array of codified motifs that
correspond to the natural features of the landscape that speak of spiritual significance.
Kathleen Ngale’s paintings are held in the most significant Australian public collections of the
National Gallery of Victoria and the National Gallery of Australia and have captured the
attention of international public and private collectors across the globe.