Minnie Motorcar Apwerle

Born:  between 1920-1922    

Died:  2006

Language:  Alyawarre/Anmatyerre

Country:  Utopia, Northern Territory

Minnie Pwerle, a Anmatyerre and Alyawarre woman, was born between 1920 and 1922 (sources vary) in Atnwengerrp country (which includes what is generally known as Utopia) about 250 kms north-east of Alice Springs. She had seven siblings including Margie, Molly, Emily, Lois and Galya.

As a teen Minne had a daughter, Florie (Barbara) Weir, whose father was the Bundy River Station owner, Jack Weir. When Barbara was 8 or 9, legally recognised as a ‘half caste’, she was taken from Minnie by the Native Welfare Patrol. Jack Weir was imprisoned and died shortly after his release. Barbara spent many years in foster care in Alice Springs, Melbourne and Darwin.

In 1968 Barbara, who lived in Darwin with her husband and five children and only speaking English, returned to Utopia to re-discover her mother and external family, including that Minnie had married Motorcar Jim, with whom she had six children.

Although the batik workshops were popular with the Utopia women from the late 1970’s and they began painting on canvas in the late 1980’s it is thought Minnie did not begin painting until she was in her late 70’s in 1999 when she was staying in Adelaide with her daughter, Barbara, and visited her grandson, Fred Torres’, art studio.

Minnie was a custodian of her country and her Dreamings, which included the ‘Bush Melon’ and the 'Bush Melon Seeds’ which tell the story of this once plentiful bush and food provider only around Utopia, plus the 'Awelye Atnwengerrp’ the iconic ochre on animal fat upper body paintings for Womens’ Ceremonies.

Minnie’s work was quickly celebrated by worldwide galleries and collectors due to its unrestrained motion, bold and energetic portrayal of these ancient cultural stories.

Minnie and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, who were sisters-in-law, had many similarities.  They both began painting in their late 70’s. With Emily’s Dreamings paintings of the tuberous Yam roots (bush potato) and Minnie’s of Bush Melon and its seeds and her Awelye Antnwengerrp (women’s Ceremony body paint) they were both prolific artists for the short time they painted and gained international recognition for their bold, uncompromising brush strokes and their reverence to 'country’.

Collections include:

National Gallery of Victoria
Art Gallery of NSW
Queensland National Gallery
Art Gallery of South Australia
La Trobe University
Kelton Foundation
Kreglinger Collection
Thomas Vroom Collection
John McBride Collection
AMP Collection
Corrigan Collection
Hank Ebes Collection
Fred Torres Collection