Group Nungari

Language Jaru

Born 1979, Western Australia

Lives and works Kununurra, Western Australia

Louise Malarvie’s elegant and graphical works shimmer with a primal eloquence and convey meaning with distilled clarity. As a young emerging artist, Louise has developed a repertoire of images reflective of the cultural traditions taught to her by the elders of her family. Born to notable Southeast Kimberley artists Billy Duncan and Bessie Malarvie, Louise was exposed to artistic expression from an early age. The temerity and conviction with which she paints should therefore be of no great surprise. Encouraged by the close-knit community of her people after the loss of Bessie, Louise has taken it upon herself to safeguard the ancient knowledge of her mother’s land and lore. 

I was born in Darwin and grew up at Mistake Creek and Bamboo Springs and then moved to Kununurra and lived at Lily Creek. Afterwards I went to Emu Creek with my Mum. We used to catch the bus into Kununurra for school. We lived in the ranch area at Kununurra in the 90's. I follow my mother to do painting. I watched my mother painting when I was small when she used to sell her paintings at the bakery before Waringarri Arts started. Everyone – my grandpa, my mum and dad all moved to Waringarri then.

COLLECTIONS

National Gallery of Australia