Irenie Ngalinba currently lives with her extended family at Kurruldurl outstation, south west of Maningrida. Kurruldurl is an important place for members of the Kurulk clan and is associated with the crow totem ancestor called ˜Djimarr’ which is often depicted in Ngalinba’s recent paintings. Ngalinba was taught how to paint by her late father Jimmy Njiminjuma who was a very influential artist within the modern Kuninjku art movement.
She brought her first works to Maningrida Arts & Culture in late 2001 when she was only 22 years of age. Not long after bringing her first paintings, Ngalinba started to make larger works, showing great confidence in her ability to paint and to manage larger compositions.
This year, Irenie Ngalinba has been selected to participate both in the Xstrata Coal Emerging Indigenous Art Award which presents some of the most dynamic contemporary art being produced by emerging Indigenous Australian artists today and in the annual Telstra Arts Awards.
In 2007, the Xstrata Award includes work in glass, video, photography, woven forms and painting. The participating artists in 2007 are Genevieve Grieves, Adam Hill, Netta Loogatha, Wanyubi Marika, Abe Muriata, Irenie Ngalinba, Phyllis Ningarmara, Yhonnie Scarce and Christine Yukenbarri.
Genevieve Grieves won the award with a video work. Irenie’s work looks fantastic and attracted a lot of attention. She is presenting 4 bark paintings and a lorrkon (hollow log) depicting wak wak, her favourite subject matter. The works are on display at the Gallery of Modern Art in the Queensland Art Gallery until November 2007. She is also having a bark painting on display at the Telstra Arts Awards until October 2007 at the Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory, Darwin.
Irenie Ngalinba is part of the new generation of artists working for Maningrida Arts & Culture whose works have already been noticed by curators, critics and collectors.
