Betty Mbitjana Club

Born:  c. 1954

Died:  2023

Country:  Utopia, Northern Territory

Language:  Anmatyerre

Betty was born c.1954 and is the daughter of renowned artist, Minnie Pwerle and sister to Barbara Weir, one of Australia’s most prominent artists.

Betty’s bush plum and bush melon awelye (dreaming) paintings depict what Utopian women paint on their bodies and the dancing tracks made in the sand during women’s awelye ceremonies. Through these ceremonies the women pay respect to their ancestors, country and their responsibilities in their communities.

For the awelye ceremonies the women paint their breasts and upper arms in red and white ochre.

Betty’s work shows an aerial view of the ceremony with the waterholes, dancing tracks, and pairs of breasts moving as a woman dances.

Betty was married to Paddy Club who died in 2012. She lived in Utopia and sometimes Alice Springs.

Collections:

Mbantua Gallery Collection, Alice Springs, NT
The Holmes à Court Collection, Perth, WA