Ada Bird Petyarre

In 2004 she suffered a stroke and has not painted since. Sadly on the 25th June 2010 she passed away, but the Aboriginal art world will never forgot her lovely gentle personality, her kindness and beautiful smile.

Ada Bird Petyarre was born on the old Utopia station at Atangkere c.1930 a. She was an Anmatyerre speaker and a significant Elder of one of the most important movements which has emerged from desert painting, the Utopia Women. Her country was Atnangkere and she painted the Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard), Engcarma (Bean), Unyara (Emu), Annlara (Pencil Yam), Kadjera (Grass Seeds), and Elaitchurunga (Small Brown Grass) Dreamings that she shares with Gloria Petyarre and Emily Kame Kngwarreye and other female artists from the Utopia region.

Ada’s style was unique, reflecting her culture and her personality. Her talent was obvious, and she left a legacy of works in many different designs, some featuring strong bright colours and others so beautifully delicate.

Ada formerly resided at Mulga Bore (Akaye Soakage) but spent her later years in care in Alice Springs. She was involved with the Utopia Women's Batik group since its interception in the late '70s. Ada began painting in 1988 with CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) Summer Project.

In late 1989 the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra acquired a major canvas, and the addition of her works to many public and private collections followed. The German film-maker Wim Wenders acquired one of her batiks and gave Ada a role in one of his films, partially shot in Central Australia.

Her work features on the cover of “Utopia - A Picture Story”, a publication based on an exhibition of 88 works on silk by the Utopia artists that toured Eire and Scotland; and is also featured in The Art of Utopia.

Central Art has removed the photograph of the artist in respect of Aboriginal culture.

Naming of Aboriginal people who have passed on traditionally, this meant avoiding referring to the dead person by name directly after their death as a mark of respect — and also because it is considered too painful for the grieving family. Today the practice continues in many communities, but has also come to encompass avoiding the publication or dissemination of photography or film footage of the deceased person as well. (The 2008 film 'Australia', like many Australian television programs, includes a title card warning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to 'use caution viewing this film, as it may contain images or voices of dead persons,' presumably out of respect for the cultural beliefs of said viewers.)

The person can still be referred to in a roundabout way, such as, "that old lady", or by their generic skin name, but not by first name. In some Central Australian communities, if for example, a lady named Alice passes away, that name must be avoided in all contexts, so even Alice Springs needs to be referred to in conversation in a roundabout way (which is usually fine, as the Indigenous name can be reverted to). Those of the same name as the deceased are referred to by a substitute name during the avoidance period — Kuminjay is used in the Pintubi-Luritja dialect.

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