Born: c. 1940s

Language: Alyawarr

Region: Atnwengerrp, central Australia

Lizzie Pwerle Moss born in 1955 at New MacDonald Downs is an Alyawarr woman from Atnwengerrp, in the Utopia region of Central Australia, northeast of Alice Springs. Lizzie is a first cousin to the late, great Minnie Pwerle. She lives there with her large extended family including her cousins the other Pwerle sisters – Molly, Emily and Gayla.

Lizzie Pwerle began her artistic career in the eighties with the batik program at Utopia. She was involved in the ‘Utopia: A Picture Story’ exhibition, a collection of 88 silk batiks that is now part of the Holmes à Court Collection. Like many of the women involved in that project Lizzie then began experimenting with paint on canvas and is still working in this medium today.

In 2008 Lizzie began panting ‘Bush Orange Dreaming’ which is depicted by many
lines of fine dots painted in a linear design representing the branches of the Bush
Orange plant and the country that sustains this important source of bush tucker.
The Bush Orange Lizzie paints is a particular fruit that grows in Atnwengerrp. Once
very abundant but now scarce due to over grazing, this species was a stable source
of bush tucker for Aboriginals. The fruit grows on a thin long stalk and is larger than a
passionfruit. It is green when unripe turning yellow in maturity. It is soft inside and is often compared to the flavour of custard apple. The fruit is consumed raw with the
tough outer skin discarded or laid out to dry to consumed during months when bush
tucker is scarce.

Both styles are meticulously performed and demonstrate Lizzie’s great skill as an
artist, as well as her love for her country. The physical creation of the Dreamings are
an important part of the bush tucker ceremonies conducted by Utopia women.
Artworks such as ‘Bush Orange’ & ‘Women’s Ceremony’ ensures the continuation of
an ancient and rich cultural heritage while acknowledging the close bond still
retained by the artist to her country.

Exhibitions:

2022-3: Prairie Hotel Gallery, Parachilna, Flinders Ranges South Australia

2019: Summer Show and Art Parade, Slat, Queenscliffe, Victoria, Australia

2016-19: Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney, Australia

2009: Utopia and Papunya Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Bay Gallery, London

2009: Gallery Savah, Sydney, Australia

2009: Utopia, colours of the Desert, Gongpyeong Art Space in collaboration with Dacou, Australian Embassy in Korea and Crossbay Gallery, Seoul

2008: Utopia Discoveries, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2007: Standing on Ceremony, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Adelaide, Australia

1990: Utopia – A picture story, an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the Holmes A Court Collection by Utopia artists which toured Ireland and Scotland

1989-91 Utopia – a picture story, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Adelaide, Australia