Minnie Pwerle

Artist: Minnie Pwerle 
Skin name: Pwerle (also spelled Apwerl, Pwerl, Pula) 
Language group: Alyawarr 
Country: Atnwengerrp and Irrwelty
Area: Utopia Region, Central Australia
Born: c. 1922
Deceased: 2006

Many of Minnie’s paintings reflect possibly the oldest designs of art in the world; the body painting for women’s ceremony – Awely. During the ceremony, Minnie and the women would sing the songs associated with their awely, paint each other and dance. Awely ceremonies are performed to demonstrate respect for the country and the total well-being and health of the community.

Minnie also painted the Dreamtime story of the Anemangkerr (Bush Melon) and also of the Akarley, which may be represented in her paintings by ‘a-lube-eh-ditch’ loops. Her works are very bold and free flowing and immediately capture the attention of art lovers. Having never been taught art by way of European methods, nor having visited museums and contemporary art galleries, Minnie was one of Australia’s top female contemporary Indigenous artists. Her paintings are loved for being so modern in style and yet so traditional and raw in subject.

Minnie was born in Alyawarr land, approximately 200 kilometers north east of Alice Springs, in approximately 1922. Speaking very little of the English language, Minnie made a bold, swift and unexpected entry into the European world of Australia in 2000 through painting. Minnie’s eldest daughter, Barbara Weir born in 1945, was taken away at the age of 9 but they were both reunited in the late 1960’s. For many years Minnie detached herself from Barbara. Sorry business had been done for her many years before and it was hard for Minnie to welcome a stranger claiming to be her daughter. Their lives were so different.

Minnie had earlier married an Aboriginal man by the name of Motorcar Jim, and had six children; Aileen, Betty, Raymond and Dora Mpetyane (also spelled Mbitjana). Two other daughters passed away and were not spoken of. But it was Barbara who encouraged Minnie to paint in the later years of her life. Barbara, being an established artist herself, gave Minnie some canvas and paints while she waited for Barbara to finish painting at a workshop in Adelaide. Minnie painted what she has always painted – the body paint designs (awely) that belonged to her country, Atnwengerrp. The traditional colours of this country are red ochre and white.