Kunyi June Anne McInerney: My Paintings Speak For Me
Exhibition dates May 10 - June 30 2019
EXHIBITION OPENING Saturday May 11th at 12pm
In this exhibition, South Australian artist Kunyi June Anne McInerney draws upon childhood experiences as a member of the Stolen Generation in the Oodnadatta Children’s Home during the 1950’s. Kunyi’s vibrant use of colour, facial expression, and depiction of landscape document her memories and reflect on the strict life with other mission kids who became her only family. Kunyi’s paintings and stories reveal an often-invisible part of Australian history.
In the artist’s words, Kunyi says “these are my stories from a dry remote place where my experiences were so different from what Australian children know today. I want to tell my story, so they don’t ever do it again. They took away my family, my culture and who I could have been. These are not fairy tales, they are true. I want people to understand what happened. Painting is the best way for me to tell my stories.”
Kunyi June Anne McInerney: My Paintings Speak For Me is a sensitive exploration of the experiences of cultural loss, separation from family, and finding fun times amongst hardship.
This exhibition celebrates Reconciliation week and NAIDOC
Kunyi June Anne McInerney, Mission Buildings with Dining Area, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 61x91 cm. On loan from the Migration Museum, a division of the History Trust of South Australia, image courtesy of the artist.
Kunyi June Anne McInerney, Sunday Service, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 61x91 cm. Image courtesy of the artist.
Country Arts SA is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.
Education Program
As part of this exhibition we have offered an education program to some of our local Adelaide Hills schools, which is a great opportunity for us to share Kunyi June Anne McInerney’s painitngs and stories from her childhood.
We would like to thank the sponsors who have funded this arts program and to our education officer who has worked so hard to make this a great experience for the students and teachers, and also to Kunyi June Anne McInerney for talking to some of the school groups.
