Freddy Kngwarreye Jones

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Artist: Freddy Kngwarreye Jones

Skin Name: Kngwarreye (also known as Ngwarai)

Language Group: Alyawarr

Region: Theyle, Utopia, Northern Territory

Vendor: Utopian Aboriginal Art

Dreaming: Caterpillar (Aylperlayt), Kangaroo (Aherr), Wallaby (Greyneng),

Freddy Kngwarreye Jones was born in 1939 on Old MacDonald Station. His father, Jacob Jones, was an authoritative Alyawarre man who traveled extensively as a young camel boy, working and mixing with European and Afghan men during the period when camel trains carried goods in the Australian desert.

Freddy Jones lives at Theleye outstation within the Utopia community and speaks the Alyawarre language. The Alyawarre and the Anmatyerre peoples are closely related. Alyawarre people’s traditional country lies to the east of Anmatyerre country, and many members of the two groups are related by kinship and marriage. Several men from these communities have achieved prominence for their art, including Dave Ross, Lindsay Bird, and Cowboy Pwerle. Most maintain the ‘classic’ geometric circles and parallel lines of men’s designs, marking out the Ancestral Tjukurrpa routes.

Freddy Kngwarreye Jones is concerned with the Caterpillar Tjukurrpa (Altyerre) or Dreaming, the central dreaming for the town of Alice Springs. He is also the principal song leader in ceremonies for the meat ant, pink-crested cockatoo, sulphur-crested cockatoo, snake, spider and kangaroo.

He has exhibited in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth and his work has been acquired by several institutions, including the National Gallery of Victoria and Art Bank Australia.

Source: Extract: Isaacs, Jennifer Spirit Country - Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art, Hardie Grant Books, 1999

Freddy Kngwarreye Jones is one of Elders on Utopia and as such his work is all the more significant. He is now passing on his knowledge as custodian of these Ancestors to his son and artist Charlie Petyarre Jones.

Bibliography:

Johnson, V., 1994, The Dictionary of Western Desert Artists, Craftsman House, East Roseville, New South Wales
Spirit Country – Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art, Jennifer Isaacs, Hardie Grant Books, 1999

Collections:

The National Gallery of Victoria
Art Bank, Australia

Exhibitions:

1997 - Exposition collective, Dessine moi un reve. L’Art des aborigenes d’Australie, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob / Musee des Beaux-Arts, Clermont Ferrand; Exposition collective, Dessine moi un reve. L’Art des aborigenes d’Australie, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob / Musee des Beaux-Arts, Auxerre; Exposition collective, L’Art des Aborigenes d’Australie, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob / Galerie de Stassart, Bruxelles; Exposition collective, L’Art des Aborigenes d’Australie, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob / Espace Paul Riquet, Beziers.
1998 - Exposition collective, Le Temps du Reve, Arts d'Australie • Stephane Jacob / Bibliotheque municipale, Le Perreux-sur-Marne; Exposition collective, Australia Day, Arts d'Australie • Stephane Jacob / Ambassade d’Australie, Paris.
1999 - Exposition collective, Australie – Art, Arts d'Australie, Stephane Jacob / J.L. Amsler - Bastille, Paris.
2007 - Patterns of Power, Art from the Eastern Desert, Simmer on the Bay, Sydney
2007 - Eastern Desert Dreaming, Artists from Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane
2008 - Power of Place, Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute Inc., Adelaide

(Source: Alyawarra Ethnographic Archive, Woodrow W. Denham. )

» Charlie Petyarre Jones

» Joy Kngwarreye Jones

» Gladdy Kemarre

» View Freddy Kngwarreye Jones's Art

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