Leonie Kamutu

Leonie Kamutu

Leonie was born in the bush at Ikunytji (Haasts Bluff) in 1947. Her mother was Malyungka Nangala and her father was Kamutu Tjungarrayai. Her mother said she was from Tjukurla in WA. Leonie is the younger sister of Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra’s first wife, Susette. Leonie sees herself as the ‘younger auntie’ of Long Jack’s eldest daughter Charlotte Phillipus. Leonie attended school at Papunya. Her first husband was Dalton Abbott Ngala Bangarta, with whom she had two daughters. She had seven children with her second husband Kenny Lillius (b. 1951) of whom Kayleen Lillius is the eldest. Kenny was the brother of Kiwirrkura Chairman Jimmy Brown. Leonie says she is now on her own. She has many granchildren, some of them married with children of their own. Leonie’s Dreaming is Kanparraka or centipede. Kamutu’s dreaming was Mala (wallaby) and the country at Tjunginpa. Nyuman was her father’s and grandfather’s place, which is the place for the Dog Dreaming and the orange lizard Dreaming (Lingakurra). Her father’s brother was Tjungarrayi Kingsley, who was one of the first painters at Papunya in 1971. 

Her sister Tilly Napaltjarri and her both learnt painting from their father’s brother. 

Languages

Luritja, Pintupi

Community

Papunya

Artworks

Past Exhibitions

Group

  • 2023
    Ikuntji Textiles, Central Craft, Alice Springs NT
  • 2023
    National Indigenous Art Fair, Sydney NSW
  • 2023
    Ikuntji Style, Artisan, Brisbane
  • 2023
    Ikuntji Style, Artisan, Brisbane
  • 2022
    'Design Canberra: Home:Made Exhibition', Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra.
  • 2022
    'Ikuntji Textiles Exhibition', Central Craft, Alice Springs.
  • 2022
    Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin.
  • 2022
    ‘Nganana Tjungu – This is Us’, Songlines, Darwin.
  • 2022
    NAIDOC MCA Store Exhibition and Activation, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.
  • 2022
    London Pacific Fashion Week, Dublin Runway Show, Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, United Kingdom.
  • 2022
    First Nations Fashion Design - Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, Carriageworks, Sydney.
  • 2020
    'Ikuntji textiles Exhibition', Central Craft Alice Springs, 6 Sep- 28 Sep
  • 2019
    Desert Mob Market Place 2019, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs., 5th, 6th and 7th September.
  • 2019
    'Ikuntji Textiles Exhibition', Central Craft, Alice Springs.
  • 2019
    Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair 2019, Darwin., 9-11 August
  • 2019
    National Indigenous Art Fair, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney.
  • 2018
    AIATSIS Aboriginal Art Fair 2018, Canberra.
  • 2018
    TARNANTHI Art Fair 2018, Adelaide.
  • 2018
    Desert Mob Market Place 2018, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs., 6th, 7th and 8th September.
  • 2018
    Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair 2018, Darwin.
  • 2016
    WOMADELAIDE, Adelaide.
  • 2016
    'Ikuntji Artists – Paintings from Haasts Bluff', Northern Territory, Jaktman Australian Contemporary Art Gallery.
  • 2015
    Tarnanthi Festival Art Fair, Tandanya Institute, Adelaide.
  • 2008
    'Ikuntji', Desert Sands Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Mayfair London, United Kingdom.
  • 2008
    'Ikuntji Artists', Beckworth Gallery, Ballarat.
  • 2007
    'Ikuntji', Victoria Carroll and Jennifer Guerrini Maraldi, Battersea London, United Kingdom.
  • 2007
    'Ikuntji', Jennifer Guerrini-Maraldi Contemporary Fine Art, London, England.
  • 2007
    'Ikuntji Women Painters', Kingsfisher Gallery, Perth, Western Australia.
  • 2007
    'kuntji Show', QDos Gallery, Lorne (Victoria).
  • 2006
    'Group Show', Australia Dreaming Art, Melbourne.
  • 2005
    'Senior Aboriginal Women Artists of Central Australia', Gadfly Gallery, Perth.