Echidna by Rhonda Sharpe
Echidna by Rhonda Sharpe
Rhonda Sharpe b.1977
Body 13cm high x 24cm wide x 8cm deep
Height on stand 14cm
Filled bush dyed woollen rug, wool and cotton embroidery, metal stand.
Catalogue #95-23
Copyright remains with the artist.
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists
Originally established in 2000 as a response to the chronic social issues faced by the town camp, Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp Artists started as an arts training project. In 2002 the community identified the enterprise as a goal and in 2008 the enterprise was established. Now a vibrant and dynamic hub, Yarrenyty Arltere Artists is seen as an important part in rebuilding strength in the community and creating economic access for people, many of whom had not been engaged previously in the workforce. Now people are participating in regular work, there is a vehicle for social inclusiveness and the activities in the art centre have provided real and engaging pathways into the wider society.
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists, including National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Wnner Rhonda Sharpe, participated in the stellar collaboration between Estudio Campana, Brasil, and Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp Artists - "Amazonica" - a key installation was set in pride of place at the entrance of the National Gallery of Victoria's 2017 Triennial and the National Gallery of Australia’s 2022 Triennial ‘Ceremony’.
“Sewing makes me feel happy and proud. I like to do different things. It just comes to me when I am sewing or drawing, things come into my head. Like how when I make two heads on the birds and on the person. I think thats like my head telling me different things, but I don't really have two heads. I just get two ideas, to drink or to sew. I have to choose, everyday I have to think which way to go . Im getting stronger to stay at work, to listen to my good head.
I was born and grew up in Alice Springs. I went to Yiprinya school. I danced when it opened. That is the only time I danced for my culture. I live at Larapinta now, I have my house.” - Rhonda Sharpe
COLLECTIONS
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery of South Australia
Araluen Arts Centre Alice Springs
Janet Holmes a Court Collection
Maitland Regional Gallery
Flinders University City Gallery Art Museum Adelaide
AWARDS
2015 Winner 3D Award – Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
2013 Winner 3D Award – Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2023 Portrait23 – National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2023 Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2022 Desert Mob – Araluen Cultural Project, Alice Springs, NT
2022 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art Award – Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
2022 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony – National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT
2022 Town Camp Stories – Short St Gallery, Broome
2021 “Rhonda” The Film – Migration Museum as part of Tarnanthi 2021, Adelaide
2021 Nurna Yaarna Iltjerrama. Nurna Kutatha Mpaarama! (‘We can’t rest. We always/continue to make!) – Jam Factory as part of Tarnanthi, Adelaide
2021 Desert Mob – Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs
2021 Waltja Tjutja: Family – Salon Arts Project, Darwin
2021 Looking back, Looking Forward: 21 Years of the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre – Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
2021 We belong to this country, we look after this country – Short Street Gallery, Broome
2020 NAIDOC Exhibition – Tangentyere Artists Gallery, Alice Springs
2020 Our Art Makes Us Happy (we hope it makes you happy too!) – Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney
2020 Trudy Said Mwerre! – Outstation Gallery, Darwin
2020 SUMMER SALON – Artitja Fine Art Gallery, South Fremantle 2019 Tangentyere Christmas Show
2019 Tarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait slander Art – Art Gallery of South Australia
2019 Looking for Pmara (Home) – Merricks General Store Gallery
2019 Desert Mob Exhibition – Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
2019 From Country to Couture – Fashion Show Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin
2019 Salon des Refuses Darwin
2019 Arrentye Mamu-Monsters Monsters – Tangentyere Artists Gallery, Alice Springs
2019 We Are Always Making Something From What We Have Salon – Arts Projects, Darwin
2018 Desert Mob – Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
2018 Central Australia Aboriginal Textiles Exhibition – Tangentyere Artists Gallery
2018 Sydney Biennale Exhibition – Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney
2017 Artbank Neon Light Sculpture Commission, Sydney
2017 Tjukurrpa Exhibition – Kiri Kiri Gallery, SA
2017 Mparntwe & Ntaria itweke-itwe Mob – Alice Springs and Hermannsburg Neighbours – Tangentyere Artist Gallery
2017 Wynscreen moving picture project Wynyard Station Sydney: in collaboration with Cultural Capital, NSW Transport and Leonardo Ortega
2017 National Gallery of Victoria Design Triennial: In collaboration with Estudio Campana Elbowrkshp and NGV
2017 Tarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art – Art Gallery of South Australia
2017 Desert Mob – Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
2017 Arrweketye Mape Awethe Akine – Tangentyere Artists Gallery (Women Back Together Again)
2017 Together Our Stories Are Stronger – Merricks General Store, Victoria
2017 Creature Collection – Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2017 Where worlds come together – Nomad, Darwin
2016 Etchings – Rebecca Hossack, New York
2016 Deck the Walls – Tangentyere Artists Gallery, Alice Springs
2016 Desert Mob – Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
2016 Salon Des Refuses – Darwin
2016 Arrweketye Mob: Women Mob – Tangentyere Artists Gallery, Alice Springs
2016 Avatar – RAFT Art Space, Alice Springs
2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour – Red Dot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore
2016 Outsider Art Fair – Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, New York
2015 Tarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art – Art Gallery of South Australia
2015 Selfies Exhibition – Tangentyere Artists Gallery, Alice Springs
2015 Desert Mob – Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
2015 We are in Wonder LAND – Gallery UNSW New experimental art from Central Australia
2014 Figuratively Speaking: Stories from Town Camp artists – Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney