SmithDavidson Gallery presents selected works by Australian First Nations artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye at Treasure House Fair this week. This includes a painting from the emblematic ‘Last Series’ by the artist; a series of only 24 works. This presentation preludes the artist’s grand retrospective at the Tate Modern opening in July as well as the landmark group exhibition at UNIT Gallery London ‘Tjukurrpa: The Dreaming’, which will be held in collaboration with the SmithDavidson Collection.
In the final weeks of her life, senior Anmatyerre artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye created a remarkable group of 24 small paintings, now known as The Last Series. Painted over just three days, within two weeks of her death in 1996, these works represent a striking departure from the visual language that had defined most of her artistic career. Rather than the layered dots and linear patterns often seen in her earlier works, these final paintings are dominated by broad, expressive brushstrokes and bold areas of colour. Each work in the series reveals a different mood and approach.
These paintings are a striking reminder of the innovative abilities of the artist. Emily didn’t start painting until the end of her life but within a few short years completely upended the concept of what had been regarded possible within the realms of Australian indigenous art.
The Last Series on view at The Treasure House this week finds a delicate balance between the luminous white and vibrant red paint on a strong black background generating a vibrantly ethereal work of art. The painting is flanked by photographs showing the artist in the process of painting the artwork itself.
Although created at the very end of her life, The Last Series does not feel like a conclusion in the usual sense. The series reflects her ongoing curiosity and her willingness to experiment with colour, form and gesture even in her final days. It shows an artist still in motion, pushing the boundaries of her own practice.
Discover the paintings by Emily Kame Kngwarreye at SmithDavidson Gallery, alongside works by Harland Miller, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Tommy Watson Yannima, Hanne Arends, Sam Francis and Makinti Napanangka.
