Region: Atnwengerrp, central Australia, Northern Territory
Annie Pitjara Hunter, sister to artists Susan, Jessie and Sandy Pitjara Hunter is well known for the fine execution of her interpretation of Women’s Business. Like her sisters Annie is concerned with Awely and all it symbolises during the deeply spiritual women’s ceremonies. Over the last fifteen years she has participated in many group exhibitions throughout Australia.
Awely (or women’s business) is associated with women’s social structure and ritual knowledge. Awely describes the painted designs and images associated with women’s rituals. The detailed and delicate execution of her paintings are made with great care and respect for its intrinsic meaning. In her paintings Annie depicts ‘women’ and ‘ceremonial sites’ in which her community gathers for their rites. The women sit and sing songs handed down from their ancestors and pass on their ‘Dreamings’ to those younger to pay homage to their ancestors, the land and the food it produces. These Dreamings and ceremonies teach the community the rules and survival of life in their desert environment.
Pitjara Hunter’s have been collected since the beginning of the Utopia art movement when batik was first introduced to the women in 1977. Her batik was selected for Utopia- A Picture Story an exhibition from the Holmes à Court Collection which toured extensively nationally and overseas. Her paintings were also featured in the significant exhibition “Utopia Women’s Paintings, the First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project” (1988-89).
Born on MacDonald Downs in 1964 to Johnny Ngwarrai Hunter and Molly Bula Hunter, Annie now lives with her family on Atnwengerrp - Utopia region, central Australia.
Collections:
The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
The Holmes The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
The Holmes a Court Collection, Perth Court Collection, Perth
