Carolanne Ken

b. 1971 | Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara

Carolanne Ken is an acclaimed APY Lands artist creating powerful contemporary paintings with Art by Farquhar. Born in Kaltjiti (Fregon), she translates sacred Tjukurpa (Dreaming) narratives inherited from her maternal grandmother into dynamic, large-scale canvases.
Minyma Malilu: The Core Dreaming Narrative

Carolanne’s signature works depict Minyma Malilu (also spelled Marlilu), an ancestral creation story centred on resilience and maternal love. This profound narrative, passed down through generations, tells of:

Malilu, an elderly spiritual woman who pursued her daughter after she eloped with a man from the wrong kinship group. Her excavation of a cave shelter (wiltja) using her piti (coolamon) near Kanpi, creating tunnels that branch deep into the earth. The secret pathways forged by Anangu women who defied orders to bring Malilu food and water, symbolizing communal care. Malilu’s enduring spirit, believed to reside in the cave, where cool winds signal her presence during women’s ceremonies.

In Carolanne Ken's paintings, large roundels evoke Malilu’s cave and life-sustaining waterholes (pupu), while emanating arcs and trails trace the secret pathways walked by Anangu women. These elements merge with bold brushstrokes and meticulous dotting, capturing both the textures of desert landscapes and the enduring presence of ancestral markings.

Career Highlights

Sydney Opera House Projection: Work featured in Badu Gili (2019), illuminating Indigenous stories on a global landmark.
King & Wood Mallesons Award: Highly Commended for Minyma Malilu Tjukurpa (2020).
Collections: National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House Art Collection.
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