ATNWELARR
May 21 - June 13, 2026
Gallerysmith is delighted to present Atnwelarr, an exhibition of new paintings by senior Anmatyerr woman, Josie Pitjara Kunoth in collaboration with Utopia Art Centre. Pitjara Kunoth shares story of her Country, Urlerrperl. Atnwelarr will be Josie's first solo exhibition in Melbourne.
"We call it Atnwelarr. That yam. Water makes it grow up. Kwaty apetyeyel. All the soakage around and those roots growing in Alhalkere."
One country. Only one country but three stories. Atnwelarr, Antkerre and Ankerre. My painting’s all the dreaming mixed up. We share one country with those dreamings. Those lines there work three ways. Lines for Atnwelarr from Alhalkere, those roots, amern. Lines for Ankterre from Atnangkere hiding in my country, from another place, making tracks all over. Lines for Ankerre walking straight through. I'll only tell you one story. Atnwelarr. Bush yam and roots. Old ladies singing to grow them up. Old ladies and old songs. I know them. They’ve been growing a long time. Drinking water from those rockholes and from Lurapulla. Us ladies dance for those seeds. We sing for atnwelarr to grow strong.
- Josie Pitjara Kunoth, 2022
