Josie Petyarr Kunoth

To accompany the exhibition Emily Kam Kngwarray at Tate Modern, 10 July 2025 – 11 January 2026, Utopia Art Centre has made a selection of unique original paintings available in support of Tate.

Anmatyerr woman, Josie Petyarr Kunoth was born in 1957. She is a proud owner of Urlerrperl Country, and is family to Emily Kam Kngwarray (‘that old lady is Aunty’). Josie Petyarr Kunoth is supported by Utopia Art Centre, located in Arlparra Homeland, Northern Territory, Australia.

Artist statement:
‘Me and my brothers and sisters. We lived at the station when we were young. Nothing left at Aniltji anyone. Everyone shifted away from that old country. Station now. Living bush close by. My aunty singing all the time. Walking in the bush. No car. My aunty was getting everything, bush tomato, something, kangaroo, no worries. Young girls. We went with my two sisters to Pigeon Bore. With our aunties Kathleen, Gloria and Emily. Lily Sandover too. We painted up for dancing. That old lady Emily she was singing. That old lady told me “You sing this one. This is your Country. Awelye. Alhalkere.”

We started doing batik first. Jenny Green and Julia Murray at Homestead. At Homestead and 3 Bores and Soakage later on. We worked the whole lot. I was following my mum and my aunties too. Emily, my aunty, shifted to soakage. We were working there doing batik. No houses. Batik finished and then canvas. I was watching my aunties and mother.

I’m making my own style now. My way. Mwerr-way. I still sing. No one’s singing anymore but I’m singing my canvas.’

Each painting is accompanied by an individual certificate from Utopia Art Centre. The price of the artwork includes payment to Utopia Art Centre, the majority of which goes to the artist and the remainder goes to materials and running costs. It also includes 5% royalty payment to the artist through the Resale Royalty Scheme.

• Artist Josie Petyarr Kunoth
• Artwork Not titled, 138-25 
• Dimensions 76 x 51 x 3.5 cm
• Material Acrylic paint on pre-stretched canvas, accompanied by a certificate from Utopia Art Centre

Utopia Art Centre is 100% Alyawarr and Anmatyerr owned, and community directed. Located 250kms northeast of Alice Springs, Utopia Art Centre works across 16 remote homelands. It supports emerging and established artists, providing a space for intergenerational learning and cultural expression in the Homelands and keeping generations stronger through knowledge on their land.

Utopia artists have produced some of Australia’s most recognisable works of art, within the remote region. Works painted by leading artists who include one of the most prominent and successful of all Australian artists, Emily Kam Kngwarray.

Utopia was one of the first remote area regions to be artistically and commercially successful, with workshops and exhibitions from the late 1970s onwards. While these early successes were built on community-focused activities, this soon shifted. Aside from a short period around 2001 and 2002, Utopia had never had a community-owned and governed art centre. The dominant commercial practice has been direct artist-dealer relationships and the promotion of individual artists. This independent and free-range approach has created significant controversy, including numerous instances of unethical and/or illegal practice, alongside significant artistic successes.

With the opening of the art centre in 2020, in Arlparra Homeland, the artists now have an ethical, safe, and supportive space to create and sell their work. This has helped them become more involved in the national and international economy in a fair and empowering way.

• ISBN 345223