LILLY KEMARRE MORTON - MY COUNTRY ANTARRENGENY
LILLY KEMARRE MORTON
MY COUNTRY ANTARRENGENY, 2007
97 x 147 cm
Synthetic Polymer Paint on Canvas
REGION
Ampilatwatja
PROVENANCE
Artists of Ampilatwatja, NT
Marshall Arts
Private Collection, NSW
Cooee Art Leven, NSW
STORY
The community of Ampilawatja made a conscious decision not to paint 'altyerr' dreaming stories, the artists paint their country where those stories sit.
Lilly has painted her country, Antarrengeny. The brightly coloured flowers and small bushes are bush medicine and are still used within the community.
Lilly's landscapes beautifully communicate the rich knowledge she possesses of both medicinal plants and country, the heart of her culture.
As a young girl, Lilly lived traditionally off of the land with her family and Alywarr people. In Lilly's lifetime, she has experienced and borne witness to the irreversible changes of country and way of life, that were previously unchanged for thousands of years. She is a kind and gentle elder of the community and often tells stories of how life used to be, in Alywarre, her language, to her family and friends. These stories are also a great inspiration for many of the artists within the community.
Lilly is passionate about nature, especially her country and the plants that grow on it, and though she has little English, she is keen to explain the various bush medicines which she depicts in her paintings.
ARTIST PROFILE
