Pop update of Seven Sisters story wins painting prize at Telstra indigenous awards

A contemporary pop culture update of the traditional Seven Sisters story from South Australia’s APY Lands has won one of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards.

Indulkana artist Kaylene Whiskey, winner of Telstra General Painting Award, with her work Seven Sistas. Picture: Merinda Campbell/MAGNT

POP culture icons including superheroes, singers, film characters and comic actors are the unlikely subjects of the General Painting Award winner at this year’s Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.

Kaylene Whiskey, from Indulkana in South Australia’s far north APY Lands, won the $5000 category with Seven Sistas, her contemporary interpretation of the creation story based on a cluster of stars.

2019 Telstra General Painting Award winner Kaylene Whiskey's work Seven Sistas.

The overall $50,000 Telstra Art Award, also presented in Darwin last night (on Friday), was won by East Arnhem Land artist Djambawa Marawili for his bark painting Journey to America.

Whiskey said her work updated the Seven Sisters story, which tells of an ancestral being who takes on the guise of a man and relentlessly pursues seven sisters across the land and sky.

‘The Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) Tjukurpa is about sisters looking out for each other,” Whiskey said.

“I’ve painted seven strong women: Wonder Woman, Cher, Whoopi Goldberg, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Catwoman, Dolly Parton and Tina Turner.

Telstra General Painting winner Kaylene Whiskey with her artwork Seven Sistas at the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in Darwin. Picture: Keri Megelus

“They’re hanging out on the Iwantja Arts sign (at Indulkana’s art centre), hiding from the cheeky wati (man).”

The awards’ judges, who included new Art Gallery of SA director Rhana Devenport, said Whiskey’s work was an “irreverent interpretation” in which the artist “invents and casts her own heroic women onto an imaginary stage within her community”.

“By reclaiming televised pop culture idols she celebrates female empowerment and sisterhood.”

Winner of the 2019 Telstra Art Award, Djambawa Marawili, from Yilpara in the Northern Territory, with his work Journey to America. Picture: Fiona Morrison/MAGNT

Whiskey also won last year’s national $40,000 Sulman Prize for subject painting, presented alongside the Archibald Prize by the Art Gallery of NSW, with a painting called Kaylene TV which also depicted Cher and Dolly Parton.

Marawili’s overall winner Journey to America is made from natural pigments on stringybark and reflects on his recent travels to the US promoting his Yolngu people’s philosophy.

Telstra NATSIAA winners and finalists’ works are on show at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin until November 3.

The other $5000 category winners are:

Telstra General Works on Paper Award:

Nyaparu (William) Gardiner (deceased), South Hedland, WA – Our Old People

Telstra Work on Paper winner Nyaparu (William) Gardiner's daughter Sheila Gardiner with her late father’s painting Our Old People. Picture: Keri Megelus

Telstra Bark Painting Award:

Nonggirrnga Marawili, Yirrkala NT – Lightning strikes

2019 Telstra Bark Painting winner Nonggirrnga Marawili with her work Lightning Strikes. Picture: Fiona Morrison

Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award:

Malaluba Gumana, Yirrkala NT – Rainbows in the Lilies

Telstra Awards: Malaluba Gumana with Rainbows in the Lilies. Picture: Fiona Morrison

Telstra Multimedia Award:

Gutingarra Yunupiŋu, Yirrkala, NT – Gurrutu’mi Mala (My connections)

Telstra Multimedia winner Gutinarra Yunupinu with his artwork Gurrutu’mi Mala – My Connections. Picture: Keri Megelus

Telstra Emerging Artist Award:

Titus Nganjmirra, Gunbalanya, NT – Queen Elizabeth

Telstra Emerging Artist Award winner Titus Nganjmirra with his work Queen Elizabeth. Picture: Keri Megelus

Originally published as Pop update of Seven Sisters story wins painting prize at Telstra indigenous awards