TiwiArt

Preparations for Kitty Kantilla Exhibition

24th May 2007

On Tuesday 24 April a crew of artists head down to Melbourne for the grand opening of the Kitty Kantilla Retrospective at the National Gallery of Victoria (Ian Potter Centre).  Dymphna Kerinauia, Cabrini Wilson, Marie-Carmel Kerinauia (all relatives of the late Kitty Kantilla), Pedro Wonaeamirri, Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri, Brenda Tipungwuti and Jean Baptiste Apuatimi will be there for the opening events.  As is tradition, Pedro and Patrick will be placing a tunga (basket) on the pukumani pole before the proceedings begin.  Other Tiwi artists are currently involved in making the outfits for the Tiwi to wear when they perform traditional Tiwi dance at the launch event.

This is a very significant exhibition for Jilamara Arts & Crafts, as Kitty Kantilla is still known as the "Queen of Jilamara".  She broke a lot of ground in terms of her style and her success.  So this will be an opportunity to honour this special woman from Melville Island. 

The exhibition opens on Friday 27 April.  There will be a floor talk by the artists at 11.30am and a talk by former and current Tiwi art centre managers at 2pm on Friday.

At the same time, another Jilamara exhibition will open in Melbourne : Ngarramukuyiri jilamara kartakuni (painting designs on ironwood) at Alcaston Gallery.  This show will celebrate the precise works of the Jilamara Carvers.