Aboriginal Art by Australian Aboriginal Artists, Quality Aboriginal Paintings for sale.  

Emily Pwerle Attended Her First Solo Exhibition Opening
Dacou Gallery Melbourne, 16 July 2009

Emily Pwerle, sister to the famous & widely admired Utopian artist Minnie Pwerle, was present at her first solo exhibition titled ‘Body Markings’ at Dacou Gallery Melbourne, Middle Park.

Emily, when only in her early 80s, began painting in 2004 after being encouraged by her older sister, Minnie.  Emily instantly took to painting on canvas, applying many layers of acrylic paint in linear brush strokes, creating dense patterns of colour which represent the body paint women apply to each other during traditional bush tucker ceremonies. To the women these works are spiritually relevant, paying homage to their ancestors and the land that provides them with life. To the general viewer, the work is a mass of moving colour, carefully orchestrated to guide the eye across areas of dense abstract beauty on the canvas.

Since 2004, Emily’s work has been exhibited & represented in several fine art galleries across Australia, as well as in New York, London, Paris & Seoul.  This was her very first, although well overdue, solo exhibition. Over 15 impressive paintings recently completed by Emily are exhibited, along with some of the finest of her earlier works. 

Art lovers had a unique opportunity to meet the artist and observe her paint several pieces.  It will also an experience for Emily Pwerle.  Apart from Gallery owners who journey to Alice Springs or further to Utopia in order to see her paint, Emily rarely meets the many individuals who buy her spectacular pieces for their homes.

Dacou Melbourne is owned by her great-nephew Fred Torres, who has closely been involved in the development of her successful career.  The gallery is unique in being Aboriginal owned and represents mainly family members from the small outstation of Irrultja, where Emily resides.  Dacou was established in 1993 and developed a sound reputation through wholeselling fine Utopia works to major galleries around Australia.  Recently, Dacou has set up its own galleries in Broome, Sydney and Melbourne.